


Blood Key

by kirallie



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood Drinking, Character Turned Into Vampire, Kidnapping, Multi, Replica Riku has a new name and look!, Sora is attacked in Halloween Town, Vampires, characters aged up 1year, currently threesome in a dream, heading towards threesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:40:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 123,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27569188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirallie/pseuds/kirallie
Summary: Wandering Halloween Town alone can be dangerous, pity Sora didn't know that. He'd have to live, so to speak, with the consequences of the attack. Thankfully, he has Donald and Goofy at his side to help him learn. Still, how long can he hide what he has become?
Relationships: Kairi/Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Naminé/Riku Replica (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 111
Kudos: 61





	1. ch1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Halloween Town Mishap](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24585124) by [Cait_Sidhe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cait_Sidhe/pseuds/Cait_Sidhe). 



> Bumped Sora’s age up to 16 in KH1 so other ages follow.

_Disclaimer: Don’t own Kingdom Hearts_

**Chapter 1**

Sora smiled happily as he explored Halloween Town, the danger was dealt with, so he’d slipped away to explore, Goofy giving him a grin and wave when he did. They’d stop Oogie Boogie and sealed the worlds’ Keyhole; they deserved a short break. It wasn’t as exciting as it had been before though…not after seeing Riku when inside the whale, seeing how he treated Pinocchio, how he’d abandoned them to fight the Heartless, his cruel words…what had happened to change him so much? He wasn’t the Riku that Sora had grown up with anymore and that scared him. And… some of what he’d said…had Kairi somehow lost her heart? Was she okay? Or at least somewhere safe? Nothing made sense anymore and it hurt.

He blinked when he realised he was in the cemetery but then shrugged and kept wandering. It was Halloween Town after all, graves were all part of the place. He didn’t feel curious eyes watching him, hungry eyes.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

She watched the boy wander, curious, but not fooled by his appearance. No…he was not one of her kind despite what he looked like, she could smell rich, hot, blood flowing through his veins, hear the beating of a living heart. How long had it been since any of them had sensed such life? Had whatever disguise fooled everyone else? No matter, soon the disguise would be fact. If he wanted to be one of them so much then she would grant him his wish…after taking her fill.

She crouched on top of the tall grave, waiting as the boy passed by below, and then dropped silently behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist and pressing her hand over his mouth. He struggled, stronger than expected, but not strong enough to break free.

“Sleep,” she breathed in his ear, ignoring the way the young one bit at her hand in desperation, tiny fangs not even breaking the skin. “Calm down, there’s no danger. You’re tired, so tired, just give in and sleep,” she crooned gently, and the struggles weakened slowly until the body was limp in her hold, breathing deep and even.

Lifting him was easy and then they were gone.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora blinked sleepily and then smiled happily, feeling the softness of a bed under him. “Riku…Kairi…” he whispered and they both smiled at him, Kairi leaning in to kiss him even as he felt sure hands caressing his sides. It felt so…nice…peaceful.

There was something…not right…something….he gasped and then moaned as hands moved even lower, distracting him.

,,,,,,,,

Riku stared out at the night sky, still shocked by the confrontation with Sora…he’d actually been ready to fight him if that Heartless hadn’t shown up. Hadn’t he understood what he was telling him? What had happened to Kairi? He’d hoped a puppet with a heart might hold some kind of answer, but it hadn’t. Didn’t Sora want Kairi to get better? Maybe the idiot really hadn’t understood what he was telling him…or did he really not care anymore? Too busy running around playing hero with his new friends.

He didn’t need Sora; he would save Kairi himself. So why…did he miss him?

,,,,,,,,,,

“Gawrsh Donald, Sora can take care of himself. He just wanted to look around.”

“What if he runs into more Heartless?” Donald demanded as they looked around.

“He’s got the Keyblade,” he pointed out.

Sora was strong, he could look after himself…but he had been gone for a while. He looked around for Jack, hoping he’d have seen him, or Zero would have. Sure enough, the ghostly dog soon had them heading for the graveyard.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Impressive, he was trying to wake up, despite being given a fantasy of something he longed for. Oh well, it wouldn’t matter for much longer.

“Ri…ku…” the boy mumbled in his sleep, obviously enjoying his dream a lot. He was laying naked on a stone slab, looking very different with the disguise removed. That had been a lot harder than expected but the clothing had eventually come off.

She licked her lips in anticipation and then lifted his upper body off the stone, holding him against her own chest even as he let out a breathy moan of pleasure. She carefully tipped the heavy head to one side, baring his throat, seeing the steady thrum of his pulse under the warm skin. She lapped at the skin, taking in the scents and flavours, some totally unfamiliar.

She bit down hard, sighing in pleasure at the rush of hot, delicious, fluid. He whimpered, moving restlessly, the pain translating to pleasure in the fantasy. He was more sweet than handsome, still growing, though that would soon be stopped. She drank deeply, wanting to enjoy as much of his blood as possible, watching his skin become paler, his body quieting as he weakened.

The door slammed open, voices yelling, but they were too late as she went from feeding to injecting the lethal venom.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald cursed his much shorter legs as Zero picked up the pace, Jack and Goofy easily matching it. Jack was beginning to look very worried, though how his expressions were so easy to read was a bit confusing considering his appearance. “What’s wrong?” he called out and Jack glanced back at him.

“Well, I never wish to imply bad things about those who live here but this area…but they do tend to be rather a bit rougher than the rest of us. There’s not many of them, not enough food for them here you see, but they are what Sora appears to be, vampires. They may have realised he wasn’t one of them and I’m not sure how they’ll take that.”

Donald looked at Goofy, seeing his concern mirrored there. Real vampires? Sora could be in a lot of trouble. And Jack could see through the magic to realise Sora wasn’t what he appeared as? That was troubling, had he cast the spell on the kid wrong?

“Zero has the trail!”

They picked up speed, the ghost dog obviously anxious. They found a doorway leading down, a few others around, but Zero led them right to that one. The door was massive and locked, but Donald wasn’t going to let that stop them! He gathered his magic and let it out in a massive fire spell, half melting the door. They were in some kind of underground home but Zero led them further down to another locked door. This one just needed the three of them ramming against it to burst open, spilling them inside, weapons out and ready.

They froze at the sight of a pale, naked, unconscious Sora cradled in a woman’s arms; her face buried in his throat.

“Sora!” Goofy yelled in alarm.

Donald hesitated, any spell he cast would hit Sora since he was in front of her! “Sora wake up!” he called, seeing his eyelids flicker slightly, the teen groaning…and not in pain.

She looked up at them and then pulled off of Sora’s throat, blood beginning to trickle down tanned skin, Sora’s head lolling without her holding it in place. She smiled, blood coating her lips and teeth and Donald fought back a shudder of fear and disgust. She’d been…

“He won’t wake, not until the transformation is over.” She ran her fingers through wild spikes, and he realised her fingers were tipped with claws…like Sora’s costume had been. The only real difference he could see was the lack of the pumpkin mask Sora had worn.

“Let him go Imelda!” Jack demanded and she laughed.

“I don’t answer to you Jack Skellington, we may live here but we aren’t part of your little town. If you wanted him kept away from us, you shouldn’t have had him dress the part,” she smirked and then lapped up the dripping blood.

Whatever she had done to Sora, he was completely unaware of what was happening, that much was obvious. He seemed to be dreaming or something, at least it was something far more pleasant than the reality. They had to wake him up! But…even if he did, would he be able to fight her off? He was very pale, body barely twitching in reaction to his dreams. Donald cast a Cure his way, the magic swirling around him, but nothing changed except the bite wound healing over. How much blood had he lost?

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora was gasping, writhing in their hold, overwhelmed by sensation as they touched him, finding every spot that would bring pleasure. It felt so good but…he was tired…so tired…something…wrong?

_‘Sora…’_

He knew that voice…didn’t he? He gasped as Kairi slid into his lap and a surge of sudden heat centred in his chest…his heart.

_‘WAKE UP!’_ a different, unknown, voice yelled at him.

Wake up? He was…dreaming? He stared up into Kairi’s eyes and then he screamed, pain overtaking the pleasure as he saw the emptiness in her eyes.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy started as Sora screamed, thrashing weakly in her hold. His eyelids fluttered, eyes rolling behind them, trying to wake up?

The woman holding him looked a lot like Sora’s costume, with fangs and…yep, bat wings on her back. She looked a lot scarier than Sora ever could though! And her eyes…they were very creepy, a mix of blood red and gold.

He could rush her, try and hit her with his shield, but Sora was still in the way, though struggling weakly. Slowly, glassy blue eyes opened, struggling to focus even as Sora kept screaming in pain. What had she done to him?

“Sora, move!” he yelled, and Sora whimpered but his struggles became a little stronger, more focused.

She looked down and that was the opening Jack needed, long limbs crossing the room in a split second to pull Sora free, letting them attack.

“Get him outta here!” Donald yelled, and Jack nodded, leaving with the still screaming Sora. Donald looked at him and Goofy nodded, they would deal with her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora didn’t know what was happening, he just wanted the agony to end. He felt long skinny arms around him even as he tried not to struggle, vaguely recognising them. There was noise…a voice? He couldn’t understand the words, couldn’t focus. It hurt…why did it hurt?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Jack ran with his precious burden right back to town, trusting the other two to get away and come after him. He spoke gently to Sora the whole time, wanting to let him know he wasn’t alone, that he was with a friend, even if it was likely Sora couldn’t hear him.

“Jack?” he heard Sally call.

“Sora’s hurt badly,” he answered, looking around for somewhere secure to place him, to wait out the transformation.

“Oh no,” she looked at the writhing figure in his arms, seeing the blood on his throat.

Rushing footsteps had him turning, relieved to see Goofy and Donald.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent nodded as Riku successfully cast the spell she had taught him for the first time. He had a lot of natural talent for magic that just needed the right person to help nurture it. What luck he had been brought to Hollow Bastion when his World was consumed by the Heartless and not somewhere some idiot like Master Yen Sid or those fairies would have been the ones to teach him.

“Well done,” she praised, and he looked up at her, smiling faintly. He reacted very well approval, to any attention really, and she wondered if once, he would have been a child the faeries would have taken away to raise. It didn’t matter, he was with her now, and she would see to it that he had everything he could need or want, he would be a worthy pupil indeed.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald was actually relieved to hear Sora screaming and whimpering, noise meant he was still alive. Jack had the teen cradled close to his body, holding him still with inhuman strength, keeping Sora from thrashing and hurting himself. “What did she do to him?” he demanded, struggling to make his words clear.

“She bit him to turn him. I am sorry, but when it’s over, he’ll be a vampire for real,” Jack explained, and Donald shook his head. No…no that wasn’t possible.

“Gee Donald, what can we do?” Goofy asked, obviously worried.

They didn’t know where the King was…had no way to contact Master Yen Sid…who else could…maybe… “We need to go,” he snapped and Goofy took Sora from Jack, then they were running for the ship.

“Where?”

“Traverse Town! Merlin’s the only Wizard around,” except him but this was way beyond anything he’d ever seen.

They got on board and he left Goofy to get Sora settled in, powering up the engines. He pushed the ship a lot more than normal, but he couldn’t bear the sounds of pain coming from the boy. They were meant to protect him, and they’d failed, he was not going to let him die! Sora had adapted so quickly to becoming a Keyblade Wielder, to other worlds, that sometimes they forgot how young he was, only sixteen, not fully grown or anything.

By the time they landed, the screams had tapered off into moans and whimpers, Sora still far too pale and eyes glassy when Goofy could coax them open. They rushed through the town, Donald having to deal with any Heartless on his own.

“Leon!” Goofy called when they spotted the tall man, and he ran over when he saw the wrapped bundle in his arms.

“Sora?” he asked in alarm, pressing a hand to a now feverish brow.

“We need ta get him to Merlin,” Donald snapped, blasting some approaching Shadows with fire.

Leon nodded and drew his own weapon, moving to help clear the way.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Quickly, quickly, bring him inside!” Merlin called as they arrived at his rather rundown cottage, although it looked better than it had their first visit.

Goofy carried Sora inside and Merlin quickly moved them to the room he had helped Sora practice his magic in only days before because of the heavier protections on it.

“Set him down here, that’s it,” Merlin swiftly moved in to examine him and they moved back to give him space. “Oh dear, oh you poor boy.”

“What is it?” Leon asked as he watched, and Merlin looked up at him.

“Sora is becoming a vampire, and nothing can stop that,” Merlin answered, gently turning Sora’s head to reveal the bite, even as the teen moaned in pain.

He carefully unwrapped him from the blanket he was wrapped in, relieved to find no other wounds or signs of other violation, despite his nakedness. Of course the question then became, what kind of vampire, there were many different species throughout the worlds after all.

“Where did this happen?”

“Halloween Town, Sora got grabbed by a woman. He couldn’t wake up, like she was keeping him asleep,” Goofy answered.

Merlin nodded absently, Halloween Town…he went there once, had seen the vampires there. It would be difficult for Sora to hide what he had become due to the wings, but magic could do a lot. There was time perhaps for one spell, weaving it very carefully into the changing and dying body before him. Sora was small for his age; it was bad enough he would be eternally a teenager but at least he could give him a little more height. He was burning up, the venom spreading quicker and quicker, Sora beginning to shake, almost convulsing.

“Sora!”

“Stay back,” Merlin told them even as he drew back as well, he could defend himself from even a vampire, but it would be better for there to be no need to. Then again, he should ‘sleep’ for some time before waking, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

“Leon, the…third cabinet from the door on the left, open it with the need for blood suitable for a newborn vampire and bring it here,” he told the man who nodded and left the room.

He raised more protections around the majority of the room to keep Sora contained once he woke, a spell had them all listening to Sora’s heartbeat as it raced. Gradually, it began to slow, and then slow even further as Sora went limp. His chest was rising and falling still as he struggled for air. By the time Leon returned, his heart was beating irregularly, skipping beats. A few more minutes and the room was silent, Sora’s body utterly still.

“Is he…” Goofy trailed off, and Merlin nodded, Sora was dead.

He took the blood packs from Leon and placed them within the wards for when Sora woke. “There’s nothing more anyone can do for him; he will wake when he is ready.”

“Will he still be Sora?” Leon asked, staring at the boy.

“Of course! Obviously, when he first wakes he will be consumed by the need to feed. Don’t worry, we’re safe, he’s behind powerful wards. It will be hard; he will spend the rest of existence fighting his own instincts and there will be a lot to learn before it is safe for him to be around humans without very close supervision. I know we can’t afford to wait which is why there is powerful magic in this room, very little time will pass elsewhere so long as he is here.”

,,,,,,,,,,,

“Instincts?” Goofy asked in confusion.

“Of course, after all, humans are a vampires natural food source,” Merlin answered and Goofy gulped.

“You mean…he’s going to eat people? Like a Heartless?” Donald demanded.

“No, of course not! He won’t eat their hearts or anything, just their blood,” Merlin explained. “The hungrier he is, the more it will take, so it’s better if he remains well fed. Remember, biting does not mean killing or even turning. In order to turn Sora, she had to inject venom, Sora won’t develop that for several years. I have a few books on this particular breed of vampire that you can read at your leisure. Now then, even with the time magic, it will still take several hours for him to waken, you should all rest up as well.” With that they were being ushered downstairs to get some rest.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“What else?” Donald asked, crossing his arms as he looked at Merlin while Leon returned home and Goofy got settled.

Merlin looked at him and then sighed. “No Keyblade bearer has ever been turned.”

“He could lose the Keyblade?” he squawked in alarm and Merlin nodded.

“There’s no way to know what will happen.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Jiminy watched as Sora lay utterly still…dead. If he had been with him, could he have helped him escape? What could he have done against a vampire though? All he could do was record events and try to give advice.

What would happen when Sora woke? Would he still be the Sora they knew? Or would he be like the one who had attacked him? Sora was such a bright child…a child, only sixteen, he shouldn’t have the burden of the Keyblade at such a young age. He shouldn’t be having to fight in a war and yet what other option was there? The Keyblade chose its wielder after all. Perhaps for Sora’s sake it would be better if he lost it, but then would they leave to find the new bearer? Jiminy sighed, poor kid, there didn’t seem to be many good options left for him.

_TBC…_


	2. ch2

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_I’ve already written this covering the first game, so it’ll be fast to post that far._

**Chapter 2**

They waited quietly, seeing Sora’s fingers twitch, his nose scrunch up, and then suddenly he was across the room, tearing into the first pack of blood, growling. He drank them all, stray drops of blood decorating his face and chest, even as he crouched in place, ready to attack or defend. Merlin nodded encouragingly at Donald and Goofy and they glanced at each other.

“Sora?” Goofy finally called as softly as he could and Sora focused on him, revealing red eyes and sharp fangs as he snarled low in his throat, clawed hands curled, wings spread out behind him. Despite only being dressed in a pair of shorts, it was rather intimidating to see him like that. “Sora, it’s Goofy. Can you hear me?”

Sora cocked his head to the side, sniffing, looking confused. He whined softly and Goofy knelt down so that he wasn’t towering over the crouched figure. Sora shuffled a little closer, still sniffing, and Merlin let up the spell masking Goofy’s scent a little, not wanting to overwhelm him.

There was a reason none of the Traverse Town group besides Merlin was there. As a human turned vampire Sora needed human blood to feed on, Goofy and Donald weren’t human. That should mean he wouldn’t see them as food, although he could see them as a threat to his food maybe.

“That’s it Sora, nothin’ scary here. You’re safe, we’re at Merlin’s,” he explained, and Sora shifted closer again, letting out a little chirping noise, head shifting to the other side. “Can ya understand me, Sora?”

He moved again, running into the wards, hissing in alarm as he fell back in confusion.

“Gawrsh Sora, be careful.”

That got his attention again and he whined, cautiously tapping at the ward.

“Do ya think he recognises me?” Goofy asked without turning to look at Merlin.

“It is possible although it would be very unusual.”

So he settled in to talk to the boy, wanting the bright kid he knew back.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald sat beside the wards, talking, even as Sora fed, the new vampire watching him warily but not growling or anything which was hopefully a good sign. Merlin had set up a clock/calendar to let them know how much time was passing for Sora and it had been five days since he’d woken. He hadn’t slept since but apparently that was normal, and they were taking sitting with him in shifts so that they got enough sleep while also keeping him company.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Jiminy talked to Sora, reading from his journal as the boy sat beside the ward, watching him. He seemed very confused by him, more so than the others. He figured it was his tiny size that caused most of that.

Sora was very easily startled; snarling, snapping, and growling, but he never blindly tried to attack. He’d crouch, bare his fangs and claws, but it was all warning. That was a good sign as far as he could tell. Surely if he had fallen to the Darkness, his eyes would show it, and while the red was rather off-putting there was no yellow or gold which was the mark of Darkness. It was heartening to see the blue still present in his eyes even if there was more red.

He would do his best to act as a conscious for Sora once he began showing more sign of understanding them. Hopefully Sora would retain his ability to tell right from wrong and control his actions.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

It was too bright and loud. His head hurt…throat dry…he whined from the discomfort. Let him sleep…but sleep wouldn’t come.

“Sora, come on Sora, time to drink,” a voice called, and he curled tighter.

Drink? He licked his dry lips. Sora…he was Sora? It hurt to try and think. Something …something was wrong. Slowly, he pushed himself up and stared around, where?

“Sora?”

He looked over at the voice, head tilting to one side, familiar? Yes…he knew it? He got to his feet and moved closer, scenting the air, feathers and ozone? Something else…something that had his mouth watering, stomach rumbling. He reached out only to hit something, unable to go further, whimpering.

“Shh, it’s okay, here it is.”

He snatched the things pushed towards him, the good smell came from them, and he ripped into them with his teeth, gulping the warm liquid inside. It tasted so good! He finished and looked around, back at the familiar white and blue kind of all blended together and he blinked, the image becoming clearer. He knew it! He pressed against the thing he couldn’t see, reaching out, and then the other was pressing against it too and he was happier, but he still couldn’t reach!

“Sora?” the voice was hard to understand but he knew it. It…it was…

“D...dd…ddd…” the sounds felt funny, but he smelled the scent change, becoming happier when he made the noise. He shook his head, gripping at it. What was wrong with him?

“Hey! Stop it Sora, don’t hurt yourself!” the tone almost had him flinching back, hand going up to block a blow…because Donald would whack him with his staff…

“D…on…ald..”

Donald froze, eyes wide, and then he quacked in happiness. “Sora,” he smiled at him. “You remember me!”

“Don…ald…Donald,” he forced himself to repeat until it sounded right. Talking felt funny, like there was something wrong with his mouth and he reached up, touching sharp teeth. “Wrong?” he asked in confusion.

“It’s okay Sora, I’m gonna get Goofy and Merlin. I’ll be back in a second.” And with that Donald was gone and Sora whimpered, wrapping his arms around his legs.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy walked quickly into the room and saw Sora beside the wards, arms wrapped around his legs, and eyes tightly shut. “Sora?” he called, and Sora’s eyes snapped open, focusing on him.

Sora scrambled up onto his knees, pressing a hand to the wards. “Go…Goofy,” he said and Goofy grinned, kneeling down.

“Well hey there Sora,” he put his hand up opposite the teen’s. “Welcome back.”

Sora tilted his head, looking curious, wings twitching. “Back?”

A glance at the time keeper showed that for Sora it had been two months since he’d been turned, and he was already beginning to speak! Single words maybe but it was a start!

“Don’t worry about it,” Donald told him, and Sora looked confused. Looked like they needed to keep things simple but at least he was responding to them more now.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin watched the boy as he leant against the wards, listening to his companions as they chatted. He was doing better than Merlin ever could have hoped. He would be letting one of them through the wards tomorrow, to see how Sora handled it, and if that went well then he would make it so that they could come and go.

His memory was a scrambled mess, and he was more animal than human, but he was still far better than most vampires his age, able to concentrate on things other than food. He was truly listening to his friends after all, even trying to join in.

,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy slowly moved through the ward on his knees and Sora watched, red/blue eyes going wide. He reached out and then stopped, hesitating, making a curious noise. Speech wasn’t coming easily for Sora, but he was trying. Goofy slowly reached out, not wanting to startle him, he hadn’t had any physical contact since arriving at Merlin’s after all. He gently touched Sora’s cheek and he stiffened, nearly pulling back, but then he whined softly and leant into the touch, leaning forward more, sniffing at him.

“That’s it Sora, you’re okay,” Goofy told him.

Sora chirped, nuzzling into his hand. “Goofy,” he murmured, words a bit funny due to the fangs but they didn’t care, they sounded just as odd to others too.

“I’ve got you Sora,” he promised as Sora crawled closer, carefully wrapping an arm around him, not wanting to hurt his wings or make him feel trapped. Sora nuzzled at him and then settled in against him and…yep, that was purring. He shivered as he felt fangs scrape near his throat. “No Sora, no biting,” he chided, and the teen whined.

Goofy reached out and grabbed a blood pack. “If you’re hungry ya eat this.” He held it up and Sora took it, obviously sulking but he needed human blood and Goofy wasn’t human. It was a good thing he had lots of experience raising his own son, it made dealing with Sora easier from the start. He was sorta like Max when he was really little at the moment. He definitely understood teenage moods better than poor Donald.

Things would have to change now, Sora wasn’t human anymore, he had different needs and instincts that would need to be worked with. They didn’t even know if he could still summon the Keyblade. What would they do if he couldn’t? The King had said to follow the Key but…they couldn’t just leave Sora, not now when they were the only stability he had. No, Sora was still Light, no matter what he had become. He hadn’t truly tried to hurt anyone, just lashed out when taken by surprise but even that was lessening.

“Goofy?”

“Yeah Sora?” he focused back on the boy cuddling into him, one hand tangled in the front of his jacket, the claws tearing the fabric slightly, but it was easily fixable.

“Where Kairi?” he asked and Goofy hugged him tighter, petting his hair.

“It’s okay Sora, don’t worry about it now,” he finally said, still not sure how much Sora was really understanding and remembering between conversations.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leon slowly approached the boy he barely knew, using every trick he knew to keep himself calm and his heart rate steady. He was the boys’ natural food source now after all and the last thing he wanted was to kick start hunting instincts. He hardly looked like the kid that had beaten him in a fight in front of the shop Cid sometimes manned the counter of when not messing around with Gummi ships. The hair, the shape of his face, height, that was all that remained the same. The small wings could almost be classed as cute but the fangs, claws, and red in his eyes all screamed predator. At least there was no gold, no sign of the Darkness in him.

Sora was watching him intently, body tensed slightly although not crouched, scenting the air. Leon held his hand out, offering the contents and Sora perked up immediately. Kid still loved food even if his diet had changed rather drastically. He took it with a funny little chirping noise that Leon took as thanks, sinking sharp fangs into the pack to drink the contents. At least he wasn’t such a messy eater now.

When he was done he stared at Leon again. “Leon?” he asked, and Leon nodded. That made Sora grin, showing off his fangs, but Leon didn’t flinch.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku slid to the floor, breathing heavily, feeling a little sick. There was still one Princess to find and he’d been sent out on several searches with no luck. Travelling through the Darkness was not a pleasant sensation and he had to be careful how far he went in each trip. He glanced over at his bed but didn’t bother getting up. He felt…hollow, exhausted…so alone.

Maleficent said they’d found Kairi; he would be leaving soon to get her. He was so grateful, finally, he would at least have one of his friends back, even if Kairi wouldn’t wake. He wasn’t sure he believed the warning, she had to be alright, she did. He was doing all of this for her.

He wondered what Sora was doing, what world he was on…did he ever think of them? But…Sora had wanted him to go with them that first meeting, it had been the duck who’d said no, Sora arguing…no, he’d just done it because it was expected, he’d seen him later in that house, talking and laughing with others.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin sat with Sora, telling him stories of magic and other worlds, teaching him, and he was happy that Sora was listening. He’d sped the time spell up again, knowing they needed to get Sora to the stage where he could leave as fast as possible. In vampire terms, he was now almost a year old and he had no trouble being around any of them, even when hungry.

Leon worked on controlling his strength and speed with him, teaching him how to fight without getting lost in the vampires instincts while Merlin and Donald had recently begun trying to teach him magic. He was teaching Donald as well; he was relatively powerful, but his spell inventory was rather simple. Sora was having to relearn what he had known, the magic different now that he was a vampire, thankfully his species did not dictate what kind of magic he could use otherwise there would be no hiding what he had become.

There was no sign of his Keyblade but it had come to him before because he’d been in danger from Heartless so it may take such danger to reclaim it. Merlin was also teaching him everything he could that he thought Sora may need. He was working on a powerful spell, tied to an accessory that Sora could wear, an illusion to make him appear human. No one could ever suspect what Sora now was, too many would see nothing but a monster and attempt to destroy him.

It was why he had not contacted his old pupil Yen Sid for help with the Keyblade end of things, he was worried about how the younger wizard would react to Sora. He had never wielded a Keyblade, had no interest in ever doing so, he was a Wizard and would always be one, unlike Yen Sid. He had seen more worlds in his centuries then Yen Sid could ever dream of. Though he did wonder if it was his fault the boy had become so…such a stick in the mud as he aged. Would it kill him to smile or offer comfort or praise to those he trained? No wonder the young King had wandered off several times.

Sora would be an even better pupil, he understood concepts instinctually now that Yen Sid brushed aside, an understanding that came from being turned, to having to the find a true balance within himself. And he had an innate kindness and willingness to accept people that Yen Sid lacked. He also had the potential to far outlive the both of them, to become to future generations what Merlin was at the moment. Merlin was very old yes, but he was not immortal, not truly.

There were still some gaps in Sora’s memory but everything from the fall of his Islands onwards appeared intact which was good. He’d listened to his tearful recounting of the meetings with his childhood friend and had been the one to have to explain that it seemed young Riku had been seduced by the Darkness…like Sora’s creator had been. Sora was determined to save his friend and Merlin didn’t doubt him for a second.

And the girl, Kairi, that was a name several of them remembered, could she be the same girl? The Heartless had taken her heart from what they had told him the other boy had said, leaving her in some strange catatonic state and that was not normal. Could she be brought back?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stood at the door out into Traverse Town, hesitating. It felt like forever since he’d been there but that was because of the time magic. He glanced down at himself, his island clothing replaced by things that Merlin had given him with protective magic woven into the cloth.

He wasn’t used to such long pants! They were black, the same as his shoes, his shirt was red and his jacket was a mix of dark blue and white, his fingerless gloves black and blue. All that was missing was the yellow of his old shoes. The colours were darker but more decorative too, with swirls and fancy stitching. They covered as much of his skin as possible to protect him from the sun should the illusion fail, or he had to remove it for some reason. The only thing that was the same was his necklace and he was grateful that Goofy had managed to save it.

He still hadn’t managed to call his Keyblade and that worried him, was he no longer worthy? The power came from the bearers heart…and his was utterly still within his chest, it would never beat again. He was nothing more than a walking corpse, although thanks to Merlin’s magic he would grow a little bit more in the coming years, letting him pass for a bit older hopefully, though he wouldn’t grow as much as he would have if still alive. He was stuck at sixteen forever and it hurt…Riku and Kairi would keep getting older, would leave him behind, and that was if they even wanted to be friends with him now.

Without the Keyblade, would Donald and Goofy stay with him? Or would they leave him behind one day? Would someone else be chosen to hold the Keyblade instead?

“Alright?” Goofy asked, laying a hand on his shoulder and he looked over at them.

“Yeah,” he managed a shaky grin.

“Take your time,” Donald told him, and Sora nodded.

He could do this, he could. It wasn’t like Traverse Town had a massive population or anything. Sora took a deep breath and then pushed the door open, stepping through. He winced as the bright lights shone in sensitive eyes. What would the sunlight be like back home? Could he ever go home again? The spell may make him look human, but it was only an illusion. He was still a vampire, and nothing could change that, his senses were ten times that of a humans and with all the weaknesses that implied. While sunlight wouldn’t kill him, he’d burn worse than Riku if out in it for too long, no longer able to tan as he always had before. He could live under the illusion forever, let it protect him from the worst, but how would he get the blood he needed on the Islands?

“Doin’ alright?” Goofy asked in concern, obviously seeing the flinch.

“It’s bright,” he admitted with a small shrug. He gave his eyes a moment to adjust and then headed towards the small house the group had taken over as their ‘base’ a while back. They passed no one which wasn’t all that surprising given the number of Heartless usually found in the District.

Sure enough a group of Shadows formed around them, and they got ready to fight. Sora growled in warning and literally caught one as it leapt at him, hurling it to the ground hard enough to take it out. Okay, that was handy. He sent a blast of lightning into a tight grouping, ducking out of the way of Donald’s fire spell instinctively. There was a reason he was wearing most of their fire resistant accessories now and he didn’t want to have to put them to the test. Of course, that was when a bunch of Soldiers swarmed them as well.

“Donald!” he yelled as he saw the duck go down.

He leapt upward, hidden wings easily catching the air, swooping down between him and the oncoming hoard, tossing a potion back to Donald even as he crouched, he would defend his friends! He gasped as a weight suddenly formed in his hand, blinking down at the Keyblade bearing a keychain he hadn’t seen before for a second before shifting his stance, unable to help grinning as he felt the boosting effects that came with the Keyblade and current keychain.

Once the fight was over he found himself being lifted off the ground in a rib cracking hug from Goofy and then Donald was there, ruffling his hair, both relieved to see the key back where it belonged. They looked it over, taking in the new shape thanks to the new keychain, Sora running his fingers over it, shivering as he realised where it had come from…Halloween Town. It was a pumpkin with little bat wings coming out of it, cute, but it wasn’t really the one he would want to be using. He dug through the sealed pocket for his other chains, swapping it out for Three Wishes, only to blink as he felt a sudden drain… he looked down and grimaced, would he only be able to use the new one? He dug them all out and began testing them, Donald and Goofy watching quietly.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Merlin?” Sora called as he packed up the last of his things. He’d collected more than he would have thought since being turned.

“Yes my boy?”

“Can…a vampire become a Heartless?” he fidgeted with the strap of the bag Aerith and Yuffie had given him nervously. Becoming a Heartless had been one of his biggest fears since learning where they came from.

“To my knowledge, no, at least, not naturally. Your body is already basically dead, your heart does not beat. The kind of heart they steal from a person is not the physical one however when I ran tests, yours seems very firmly tied to your physical body. Likely due to the immortality part of vampirism.”

“Oh,” he whispered. That…was a massive relief.

“You can still die Sora,” he warned, and Sora nodded.

He was only immortal as long as he wasn’t killed. Still, he’d rather be permanently dead than a Heartless. There were a lot of things that could weaken or hurt him, less that could end his existence permanently. After listening to what they had done to his…Sire…Merlin had admitted the woman likely still existed, but that it would take her several years to recover. Due to that, he would never return to Halloween Town, not when she would have power over him.

“Remember my young pupil, you shall always have a home with me! Trust your heart, it shan’t lead you astray,” Merlin ruffled his hair gently and Sora nodded.

Part of him never wanted to leave, to stay and learn more magic, to train with Leon and the others…but he had to. He had to bring Riku back and save Kairi, he had to seal the Keyholes and save everyone. “Thanks Merlin…for everything.” He knew many others would have destroyed him while he was turning or locked him away as a monster, he was very lucky they had brought him to Merlin.

“No need for thanks. Be careful out there,” Merlin warned one last time and then Sora joined the others and they set off for the Gummi ship.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald watched Sora settle behind the ships controls, refamiliarizing himself with them. It had been well over two years for him after all, though not as long for them since Merlin didn’t let them spend a lot of time under the effects of the time spell. It didn’t matter if Sora lost a few years now that he was immortal, but they weren’t!

“Ready?” Sora asked.

“Let’s go!” Donald told him and Sora laughed but took off, the flight as smooth as ever.

They flew passed the worlds they had already visited until they reached Halloween Town and then Sora turned the ship. “That the way?” he asked and Goofy checked the navigation screen.

“Yep.”

“Okay.” Sora plotted the course and the headed for the new world.

“Uh, a big ship is catching up to us,” Goofy warned after about an hour of dodging Heartless ships and asteroids. The ship flew past them, its sails clearly visible.

“Quit gawking! That’s a pirate ship!”

“It’s going to ram us! Hold tight!” Sora yelled as he tried to avoid the ship, but it was no use.

_TBC…_


	3. ch3

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 3**

Sora walked along the deck of the pirate ship, subtly scenting the air for any trace of his friends, and then turned around, smelling a scent that reminded him of Home…and Darkness, could it be? He looked up and met familiar cyan eyes, although the emotion in them was not something he’d seen before when Riku looked at him.

“I didn’t think you’d come, Sora,” Riku smirked. “Good to see you again.” Funny, he didn’t sound all that happy to see him.

“Where are Donald and Goofy?” he asked warily, using his other senses to check for others, he could smell the crew, but they were remaining out of sight, Heartless, and…he sniffed again…human female.

“Are they that important to you? More important than old friends? Instead of worrying about them, you should be asking...” he shifted over and Sora’s eyes widened, “about her.”

Kairi was slumped on the deck beside Riku and for a second his dead heart felt like it beat in joy. She was breathing…but making no reaction to anything around her, dull eyes staring through the deck.

“Kairi!” Sora yelled, but there was no reaction.

“That’s right. While you were off goofing around, I finally found her.”

That hurt! He hadn’t been messing around, he’d been looking for both of them while fighting the Heartless, working to save worlds…and then trying to deal with being a vampire! Sora started to run towards them, when a hook blocked his path, and he barely held back a snarl of rage at someone daring to try and keep him from them.

“Not so fast. No shenanigans aboard my vessel, boy.”

Sora looked up to see the pirate captain smirking as he was surrounded by Pirate Heartless. “Riku, why are you siding with the Heartless?” He didn’t understand why Riku would do that, especially…if they’d taken Kairi’s heart. It didn’t make any sense to him. What was going on with Riku?

“The Heartless obey me now, Sora, I have nothing to fear,” Riku boasted with a smirk.

Sora glared at him and his apparent carelessness when it came to the creatures. “You’re stupid. Sooner or later they’ll swallow your heart,” he warned, he was immune, Riku wasn’t!

“Not a chance. My heart’s too strong.” Did he have to sound so smug? What had happened to the Riku he remembered?

“Riku...” he whispered, scared for his friend and how he was changing.

“I’ve picked up a few other tricks as well. Like this, for instance,” Riku waved a hand at him and Sora felt the Darkness.

Sora tensed, ready for an attack as much as he didn’t want to believe Riku would do that. He stared in shock as his shadow lifted out of the ground. How?

“You can go see your friends now,” Riku taunted and Sora felt the deck vanish under his feet, hovering for a split second before letting himself fall, knowing it wasn’t a good time to act. He was too outnumbered, with no idea what the Captain or even Riku was now capable of. Fighting without backup would not be smart.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Peter landed beside him and Sora smiled at him. “Heading back to Neverland?” he asked, and Peter nodded.

“You could come too, if you’d like. Tinkerbell doesn’t think you’re dangerous anymore even though she’s insisting you’re not human.”

Sora froze in shock; how could she know? And she’d still agreed to come with them as a summons? “I, uh… I used to be,” he admitted softly. He had the feeling Peter Pan wouldn’t care. “I was attacked, and she changed me. Tinkerbell was right about me not needing the pixie dust to fly,” he’d wondered why she hadn’t put any over him, now he knew she knew he wasn’t human.

“So how do you fly?” Peter asked curiously.

“With wings.” Sora glanced around but it was just the two of them on the clock. “I…can show you? I don’t want you to be scared of me.”

“I won’t be! You’re my friend Sora.”

“Okay,” Sora nodded and then took off his jacket to reveal the band of metal around his upper arm. He took a deep breath and then slipped it off, removing the illusion. He shifted nervously as Peter studied him and then a hand pressed curiously to his chest. “It doesn’t beat anymore,” he whispered.

“Silly, your heart is strong,” Peter grinned at him. “You’ll always be welcome in Neverland Sora. No one ever grows up there, you’d fit in.”

“Thanks Peter, but I can’t right now. I have to save Kairi and Riku.”

“Good luck.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“It was reckless to bring her here without at least using a vessel. Remember, relying too heavily on the dark powers could cost you your heart,” Maleficent chided as he shook his head to focus, pushing the memories of simpler times away, unable to get off his knees.

He relaxed a little when her hand ran through his hair soothingly, enjoying the contact, taking his time to catch his breath. She was right, he had taken too big of a risk. Riku was about to answer when a booming roar resounded from outside the castle, causing him to stand and look toward the source of the noise.

Maleficent smiled and looked towards the entrance as well. “A castaway. Though his world perished, his heart did not. When we took the Princess from his castle, he apparently followed her here through sheer force of will. But fear not. No harm will come to you. He is no match for your power.”

“My power?” he asked.

He didn’t think he was all that powerful with the Darkness, not yet anyway. If he was, then surely Sora wouldn’t have beaten the shadow he’d made. Sora…there was something different about him, but he wasn’t sure what. Was it just because he’d barely seen him since leaving the islands?

“Yes, the untapped power that lies within you. Now, child, it’s time you awakened that power and realized your true potential.” She tightened her grip on her staff, the stone glowing.

A green aura surrounded Riku and he straightened up, staring at his hands. He felt… stronger. This…this was the power he needed to save Kairi, to prove to Sora that he was right. He would show him that he shouldn’t have given them up for those new friends.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora leant back in his chair, listening to Merlin as the Wizard puttered about preparing the tea…not that Sora could drink it, but it was the thought that counted. Once Cid had the new navigation gummi installed they would be leaving for one last tournament at the Coliseum and then on to the last world, the world where he was hoping he’d find Riku and Kairi, Hollow Bastion.

It was weird, he hadn’t remembered at first but now he did. He knew the fantasy she had trapped him in while turning him and if he could still blush he’d be beet red even thinking about it. Was that…really what he wanted? Or had it just latched on to his wanting them back and made more of it to keep him from fighting? That was the thing, he’d definitely been enjoying himself until it had stated to change, and he’d heard others calling him, even if he still didn’t know who that last voice had been.

He smiled and took the tea cup of blood; it was nice to drink it from something other than a pack for a change. Instinct screamed it would be even better from the source, but he didn’t trust himself to bite someone, and who would he do that to anyway? He couldn’t see himself asking Leon for a sip or two.

He sipped the warm fluid and laughed as Merlin nearly spilled his tea everywhere, too busy making grand hand gestures to make his point. Merlin laughed as well but then things quieted down, and they enjoyed the peace.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Herc watched Sora fight and frowned; his fighting had changed a lot since the last tournament. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, he had a lot of rough edges and it was obvious he was new to battle back then and that he’d gotten more experience since. But no, this wasn’t the kind of change brought about by training or fighting many battles, it was something else that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He…felt different to Hercules’ senses.

Donald and Goofy had improved too but they weren’t changed like Sora was. It wasn’t just the wardrobe change, although he could feel the magic in the new clothes which was good, the kid needed some kind of protection when fighting, no it was something more. He saw Sora get knocked flying and the boy corrected in mid-air…for just a second Hercules would have sworn he saw a pair of black leathery wings coming from his back! He blinked and they were gone, Sora landing in a roll, coming up swinging.

The three won the tournament, as he’d expected, and he clapped Sora on the shoulder, watching his strength as he did, feeling the boy tense under his hand and…did he just growl softly? Sora turned and looked a little embarrassed before grinning at him and Hercules saw it, Sora was no longer human. With that realisation he could suddenly see exactly what Sora now looked like, nothing like any being he knew of. He was beautiful in a way that he knew was meant to draw in mortals, even as the fangs and claws should warn them of the danger. His eyes were mostly the colour of fresh blood but with enough hints of blue to remind him of the human boy he’d first met not so long ago.

Sora’s eyes went wide, pale skin blanching further, even as he backed away from him, and Hercules raised his hands. He wasn’t going to hurt Sora, not when he’d offered no threat to anyone except the Heartless he was meant to be fighting anyway. His two companions instantly moved in protectively so they must know which was good, Sora would need support.

“Easy guys,” he spoke calmly and quietly, not wanting to garner attention from the still dispersing crowd.

“You…but how…Merlin…” Sora stammered, eyes darting around.

“Sora,” Hercules called his name and the teen hesitantly met his gaze. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you,” he swore. Obviously the changes had been hidden behind powerful magic which was part of why he was so scared, more powerful than he’d felt from anything mortal before, but he was still the son of Zeus. “Come on, let’s go inside and talk, alright?” he offered, and Sora glanced at Donald and Goofy.

Goofy shrugged while Donald glared at Hercules for a moment before nodding, staff in hand, threat clear. Herc wasn’t offended, it was good that they’d stood by Sora through whatever had happened to him and it was a good indication that the ‘junior hero’ hadn’t changed, because they wouldn’t have stayed if he’d become evil.

He led them into the competitors break room and took a seat on a bench, the other three sitting on the one opposite him. “That’s some very powerful magic someone gifted you with Sora. I didn’t notice anything until you got blasted up into the air.”

“You saw my wings?” Sora asked quietly, and he nodded.

“I can see past the illusion now. Sora…what happened to you?” he asked gently, and Sora flinched, looking away. Hercules clenched a hand into a fist, angered. “You were attacked, weren’t you?”

That got a jerky nod, Sora appearing ashamed. “I…I couldn’t…”

Hercules slowly reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. “No matter how strong you are, you can still be attacked Sora, there’s no shame in that.”

Sora looked to Donald who nodded and began explaining what had happened and what Sora had become. Hercules was glad that Donald and Goofy had dealt with her, even if it may not have been permanently. He wasn’t at all shocked to learn Sora was now almost two years older thanks to magic, his family got weirder.

“How’d ya see through the magic?” Goofy asked once Donald was done, a hand resting on Sora’s shoulder.

Hercules didn’t even hesitate to explain his own mess; born a god only to become mortal and be raised by mortal parents, and becoming a hero to earn back his godhood.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora felt a lot better after talking with Hercules; the more people accepted the way he’d changed the easier it was to deal with. Still, it wasn’t something he wanted to just tell people and the Traverse Town gang had warned him; there were a lot of people who would judge him on what he was and not who.

For now, they were finally on the way to Hollow Bastion where everyone believed Maleficent was making her base. That meant Riku and Kairi were probably there and while he wanted them back so badly…he was scared. What if Kairi couldn’t be healed? If her heart was lost for good and she was left a lifeless doll forever… And Riku…could they free him from the Darkness? He’d changed so much every time he saw him. Would there be anything left of his friend by the time he found him again? 

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He was cold, always so cold now. He guessed it was because he was so used to the tropical heat of the Islands and the castle was nothing like that. He lay on the bed in the room she had given him, staring across at the other bed he’d had brought in, where Kairi lay seemingly asleep, but only because he’d closed her eyes before lying down. At least she didn’t need food, water, or…personal needs seen to the way she was, that would be very awkward. Nothing about her changed at all and it scared him. He hated seeing her like that, but he didn’t dare leave her unguarded. The Heartless wouldn’t touch her, they’d already taken her heart after all, but there were others in the Castle, and he wouldn’t trust them near her.

Sora might care more for his new friends then them, but Riku would do whatever he had to, to keep her safe and get her heart back. He…he missed Sora, more than he’d have thought with how Sora had acted since they’d been separated. He knew Sora had been reaching for him back on the Island, he’d wanted to come with him into the Darkness, to stay together. Maybe…maybe he could be convinced to join them? There’d been something different about him on Hook’s ship, Riku didn’t know what, but there had been something in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

Riku hated the Islands but he found…he wanted Kairi and Sora back with him. He shouldn’t, he should be passed that weakness. How could he remove that weakness? Was it weakness? He was so confused. A lot of what Maleficent said made so much sense but there was some that made him wary. She’d done so much for him but part of him couldn’t stop wondering what the catch was…no one gave so much for free, did they?

Riku rolled over and stared at the ceiling until he finally fell asleep, Sora was coming, he could feel it. and when he did…he could claim the Keyblade from him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

She watched the child sleeping in the room she had given him, his sleep troubled which she did not like. She knew some other Dark force was trying to influence him, to take him from her, and she would not allow that. Riku was hers, the child she had been denied for centuries. She knew he didn’t fully trust her, despite how eager he was for praise and acknowledgment, but that was to be expected, she was a dark faerie, and he was still human, for now.

Maleficent doubted very much that the girls’ heart could be returned to her, but she did not wish to take that hope from him, it was what kept him from sinking too deep into the Darkness. The Keyblade bearer was an issue, she knew Riku still cared for the boy no matter how he denied it. If he could be brought into the Darkness then perhaps he could be useful, but the boy practically glowed with how Light he was. Still, it would make Riku happy and keep him from succumbing like many of her so-called allies already had.

As she watched, Riku began to move restlessly in his sleep, face twisting in anguish, and she approached the bed, laying her hand on his forehead. “Hush child,” she murmured, weaving magic about him, watching as he relaxed into a dreamless sleep. She gently nudged his growing power, giving it another small boost, proud of how far he had come but there was still so much for him to learn.

She left him to sleep, there was still much to do, one last Princess to find in order to complete the Keyhole and unleash the Darkness fully on the world. She did not care if the Heartless consumed Hollow Bastion, so long as her plans were fulfilled. She would conquer all of the worlds and teach Riku all he would need to know to one day inherit it all.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared at the world before them and then carefully brought the ship in to land. It…gave him the chills just to look at and he’d rather go to any other world but there was no choice. If he could feel so much Darkness before even setting foot out there no wonder Riku was so badly affected! How was it affecting Kairi?

They exited the ship among a group of waterfalls, the air misting from the cool water and general cold temperature. Thankfully, Sora no longer had to worry about feeling cold otherwise he’d probably be shivering.

“Gawrsh, look at that!” Goofy pointed up and to the distance and Sora stared at the castle.

“I know this place...” he whispered, staring at it, able to see it in much clearer detail than the others. The castle was a twisted ruin and it made him feel sick to look at even as it called to something in him, the vampire side of him that he fought against every day, that said humans were nothing more than food. There was something else though that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“Hmm, that’s strange.”

“I wonder why... I feel this warmth inside, right here,” he pressed a hand to his silent heart.

“Aw, you’re just hungry,” Donald teased.

“Hey, I’m serious!” Sora told him even as Donald offered him a blood pack.

He hesitated but then took it and downed the contents quickly, best to be at full strength in a place like this. Last thing he wanted was to find Riku and Kairi only to try and drain them! A loud roar erupted from further ahead, startling them, and Sora focused that way, able to see two figures, one animalistic and the other…Riku!

“Let’s go!” He took off running and jumping, fighting not to pull too far ahead of the others because he was faster than them now.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku glanced down, hearing a noise, and there was Sora and his new friends, rushing up the falls towards them. His attention was forced back to the Beast as he roared, leaping up at Riku. It swiped at him with its sharp claws, but he flipped backward, dodging the attack completely. The beast’s cloak settled to his side as Riku landed easily on his feet. With lightning speed, Riku charged forward at the beast, delivering a nasty but non-lethal blow.

The beast fell to the ground with a pained noise as Sora reached the ice platform they stood on.

“Stop!” he called, moving in front of the beast, and Riku smirked at them confidently.

“So, you finally made it. About time. I’ve been waiting for you,” he teased like he used to, unable to help it. “We’ve always been rivals, haven’t we? You’ve always pushed me as I’ve

always pushed you.”

“Riku...” the look on Sora’s face was not at all what he’d expected from those words.

“But it all ends here. There can’t be two Keyblade masters,” he continued, shrugging off the strange reaction to the mention of their rivalry. They’d always competed for everything, so why would Sora expect this to be any different?

“What are you talking about?” Sora demanded.

“Let the Keyblade choose...”he held a hand to his chest, “...it’s true master.”

He extended his hand out toward the Keyblade, which began to shake violently in Sora’s grasp. Sora grabbed the blade with two hands as it started to pull itself toward Riku. Maleficent was right, the Keyblade was his! Sora had taken it from him somehow. Well now he’d take it back and then he’d take Sora to Kairi…what? Why? His head and heart hurt, so many conflicting thoughts and feelings…he stared into wide blue eyes.

“Riku…please,” Sora whispered, struggling to hold on to the weapon.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora felt something pulling in his chest, all the self-doubt over the Keyblade, especially since he’d been turned. Was he still worthy? He…he didn’t know… He gasped as it vanished, reappearing in Riku’s hand.

“Maleficent was right,” Riku smirked darkly, and Sora despaired that his friend was lost for good. Maybe he wasn’t worthy anymore, but neither was who Riku had become! “You don’t have what it takes to save Kairi.” Riku broke their gaze to look up at the sky. “It’s up to me. Only the Keyblade master can open the secret door...” he held the Keyblade high, still grinning, “...and change the world.”

“How did this happen? I’m the one who fought my way here with the Keyblade!” Was it…his own doubt in himself that had let the Keyblade go to Riku?

“You were just the delivery boy,” Riku scoffed, dispelling the blade and pulling out a wooden sword…one Sora would recognise anywhere. “Sorry, your part’s over now. Here, go play hero with this.” He tossed the sword to Sora, who let it land on the stone platform with

a clunk, falling to his hands and knees in defeat as Riku left.

He had work to do in order to save Kairi.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald stared at the retreating boy and then back at the defeated teen. Their mission….no! The King wouldn’t want them to abandon Sora after everything…would he? He’d said to follow the Key but how could this Riku do anything good when he worked with the Heartless? He looked at Goofy who stared back at him before moving to Sora’s side, gently pulling him to his feet, both hearing the soft, heartbreaking, whine the kid let out. How did Sora hold on to any hope when it came to Riku?

They were all surprised when the beast began to walk passed them, obviously wounded, half collapsing after a few steps.

Sora stared and then shook himself, wiping away red tinted tears. “Hey, don’t move. You’re hurt.”

The beast looked over at Sora, Sora who now had no weapon but his own fangs and claws which were tiny compared to the beasts. “Why... Why did you...you come here? I came to fight for Belle.” He looked up at the castle and stood up again, slowly walking ahead. “And though I am on my own, I will fight. I won’t leave without her. That’s why I’m here.”

Sora turned around, staring at the wooden sword on the ground. He picked it up and looked at them before nodding and walking back to the Beast’s side.

“Me too. I’m not gonna give up now. I came here to find someone very important to me. Guys?” The question to them was quiet, Sora knew their mission after all. He was obviously scared they’d leave him too.

“Let’s go save Kairi, stop Maleficent and get Riku back!” Goofy announced and Donald nodded.

“First, hold still,” Donald told the beast, sending a healing spell over him.

“Thank you,” he sounded surprised and gruff, but the thanks was genuine. They moved upwards until they reached a moving platform that carried them towards the castle.

_TBC…_


	4. ch4

_Disclaimer: still not mine_

**Chapter 4**

Riku stared at the Keyblade, this was what he needed to save Kairi. And then what? Sora… he shook his head and then ran his fingers through his hair, trying to ease the ache. Sora was his rival…his best friend… everything…nothing… he leant against the wall, breathing hard, and then he heard the clicking of her staff as she approached. He lifted his head and she smiled at him.

“You see? You did it Riku, you claimed the Keyblade.” She reached out to stroke his hair and he closed his eyes, leaning into the gentle, parental, touch, the confusion and pain fading. “Go, rest child. There is time and it wouldn’t do to have you exhausted.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora snarled, temper fraying as they faced more Heartless, unable to even enter the castle proper because the stupid doors were locked! And without the Keyblade he was relying almost solely on magic alone. A wooden sword wasn’t much of a weapon, even backed by vampire strength and reflexes. His claws could pierce most Heartless, but not the armoured ones…which of course a lot of the local ones were.

He gasped out in pain as he slammed into unforgiving stone at high speed, feeling bones snap, coughing up blood from the force of the blow.

“Sora!” he heard his name yelled but it was distant. He felt cold liquid drip from his lips, darkness overtaking his vision.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Beast saw the boy hit the stone wall, knowing it was a fatal blow for a human, especially one so small…smelt the blood he coughed up, saw him slide down the wall even as they called his name. Magic was powerful, but could even it heal the mass of internal injuries Sora would have…his spine?

He barrelled into the Heartless that were blocking the duck one from Sora since he seemed to be the main healer. The other one also threw himself into the fight, trying to keep them away from the injured boy.

A snarl came from there that sounded anything but human and he looked over to see Sora weakly getting to hands and knees, eyes blood red and fangs bared as he lunged at a nearby Shadow.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald slid across the ground, scrambling to stop as he saw Sora move…only to freeze for a second as he took in red/blue eyes without an overlay of pure blue…the illusion gone. The only reason that should happen…was if the vampire took over completely. Donald gulped, that was not good. Sora was very badly hurt, he needed help, but the vampire instincts were making him fight, stressing his body further. Donald threw several cure spells at him to at least seal the wounds, but he needed to take a look at the deeper damage…and Sora needed to feed. He was way too pale, even for a vampire.

“Code red!” he yelled to Goofy to let him know Sora had lost it.

It had been Sora’s idea, so that hopefully he would never come back to himself to find he’d hurt them, or worse. Of course, it depended on one of them being able to warn the other and there was always the chance that wouldn’t happen.

He sent a quick blast of thunder around them to clear the area and then quickly drew out several of the emergency blood packs. The emergency packs had a little extra something in them curtesy of Merlin to help fill him quicker and induce even faster healing.

“Sora…it’s okay Sora,” he called, cautiously tossing a pack to the young vampire who snatched it out of the air, sniffing at it before biting down to drink. Red eyes darted around as he fed, low snarls coming from his throat, but Goofy and the Beast were doing a good job of mopping up the remaining Heartless.

He began shifting closer, needing to get a better look at Sora’s injuries. He had to have internal bleeding and broken bones surely, even with a vampires’ altered physiology. Hopefully, some part of him would recognise Donald’s scent since he was exposed to it all of the time and identify him as a friend.

Sora looked up, baring his fangs in threat, blood coating them and his lips. He looked scary, wings shifting behind him, but Donald was not going to be afraid of the kid! Sora was just hurt and scared, trying to look like a threat so no one would hurt him more.

Donald carefully held out the next pack and Sora whined, sniffing at him, before whimpering softly. He heard Goofy move closer, the sounds of fighting dying off until it was only the four of them. Sora was eyeing the beast warily, tense because of him.

“Is he alright?” the beast asked, and Sora hissed at him.

“He will be,” Donald stated firmly, because he refused to believe anything else. Magic could seal Sora’s wounds and so long as he had access to blood his own biology would take care of the rest.

Sora slumped to the ground, still feeding, and Donald move closer, gently stroking brown spikes, feeling he teen slowly relax, turning to curl into him, seeking warmth, and Donald let him.

“That’s it, we’ve got you,” he told him, giving him a third pack to be safe.

By the time he’d finished, he was half asleep, so Goofy carefully lifted him in his arms and they backtracked to a room they’d spotted earlier in the basement area that was easily defended.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku wandered the halls, he’d slept for a time, but now he felt unsettled. He’d locked his rooms with the Keyblade to ensure Kairi was safe but now he didn’t know what to do. He walked into the entrance hall only to be surprised when Sora entered with his ‘friends’ and the beast, the beast easily enough sent off chasing shadows.

Sora…what was he doing? Why hadn’t he left when he had the chance? It was too dangerous…he was going to save Kairi! He didn’t need Sora’s help, he had the Keyblade now after all.

“Quit while you can,” he called, stepping into view, watching them turn to face him. Oddly, Sora didn’t look at all surprised by his presence, as if he’d known he was there.

“No. Not without you and Kairi,” Sora answered, surprising Riku. He…didn’t sound angry despite having lost the Keyblade. He sounded…worried?

“The darkness will destroy you,” he warned, why was he warning him? Tendrils of darkness erupted around Riku changing him, but he didn’t bother to look. He clenched his fists, feeling the dark powers inside his heart, and glared at his rival…his friend…

“You’re wrong, Riku. The darkness may destroy my body, but it can’t touch my heart,” Sora called back, head held high, a hand over his chest. “My heart will stay with my friends. It’ll never die!”

“Really... Well, we’ll just see about that!” He thrust his hand forward, releasing a dark fireball aimed straight at Sora’s heart. The energy coursed through his hand, causing the air

to ripple, his hair whipping across his face. What…what was he doing?

Sora seemed paralysed as it drew near him, their eyes meeting over the flames before Sora closed his.

“Sora ain’t gonna go anywhere!” Goofy called; shield held high as he blocked the attack.

“How will you fight without a weapon?” Riku demanded, half relieved and half furious that the attack had been blocked.

Sora looked back up at him, eyes…sad? “I know now I don’t need the Keyblade. I’ve got a better weapon. My heart.”

“Your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?” he scoffed at the younger boy.

“All though my heart may be weak, it’s not alone. It’s grown with each new experience, and it’s found a home with all the friends I’ve made. I’ve become a part of their heart just as they’ve become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then...if they don’t forget me...then our hearts will be one.” Sora drew the wooden sword and looked down at it before looking up at him again, expression determined now. “I don’t need a weapon. My friends are my power!” he declared.

Riku gasped in surprise as the Keyblade flashed in his hand, only to leave him gawking in total astonishment as it vanished. No! It was his! He needed it to save Kairi. The Keyblade

reappeared in Sora’s hands, and he stared up at Riku, who quickly called Soul Eater to hand.

Then they were clashing, just as they had for years except with real weapons instead of wooden swords. Riku was confident the fight would go his way as always, even with Sora having others on his side. They fought across the large room, no words passing between them, until Sora got the upper hand. He bashed Riku in the side with the blade, sending him

flying backward toward the fountain in the centre of the room.

“No... Not yet...” Riku gasped, bending over, breathing heavily. The darkness around him faded and he ran, disgraced and panicking. Sora wasn’t that strong! What had happened? Why couldn’t he defeat him? He made it to the Castle Chapel, running across the stone floors, out of breath. “Why? It was mine.”

“Know this.”

He stopped at the sound of the voice, catching his breath, and turned around to face the hooded figure.

“The heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade.”

“What? You’re saying my heart’s weaker than his?” He demanded angrily, glaring in defiance.

“For that instant, it was.”

Riku’s eyes widened and he shook his head, staring at the floor. But why? He didn’t understand.

“However, you can become stronger,” he offered, walking closer. “You showed no fear in stepping through the door to darkness. It held no terror for you. Plunge deeper into the darkness, and your heart will grow even stronger.”

Riku looked up, ignoring the small voice in his head that told him to run, he had to do this, he had to save Kairi. “What should I do?”

“It’s really quite simple. Open yourself to the darkness. That is all. Let your heart, your being become darkness itself.”

Riku stared at him and then let his eyes close, following his direction, not seeing himself as he glowed with a green aura.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora watched Riku run off, wanting so badly to chase after him, but Donald was hurt, and he was the next best at healing spells. Plus, he needed a top up of blood, the wounds Riku had inflicted had already healed but he had still lost blood. It didn’t take too long and then they were off, Sora following Riku’s scent, though it was hard since apparently he had been wandering around before they arrived, still the new scent trail had been made by a bleeding Riku, making it easier than it would have been otherwise.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

As soon as Riku joined her she knew, the boy had fallen to the Darkness, to the Other who had been calling to him. Even if she hadn’t sensed it, the strange quality of his voice made it clear he was possessed by another. She chose to confront the Keyblade bearer herself, to test him, and see if he could do what she could not and free Riku of the possession. If not then he was of no use and she would kill them all. And if she must, she would kill Riku as well, although she did not wish to.

As soon as she saw the boy, she felt the powerful magics around him and recognised the caster, Merlin. He was one of the few ‘Light’ magicals she held any true respect for. He lacked the holier than you attitude the majority held and his endless curiosity for the worlds and magic was refreshing at times, his accidents amusing. She also had no desire to ever go up against him in a serious fight…because she did not know who would prevail. That his magic was on the Keyblade bearer made her think that maybe he could save Riku. She wanted Riku in the Darkness with her, but not the kind that had possessed him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora panted for unneeded air, staring at Maleficent as she backed away. There was something…odd about that battle, something not quite right. Their eyes met and he nearly jerked as he felt her magic, saw her eyes widen in shock, but then she nodded slightly, and he heard her voice whisper although her lips did not move. _“Perhaps you can do it boy…free Riku from the one who possesses him.”_ And then she was gone through a portal.

Sora stared after her, she’d been the one behind it all, who had twisted Riku into what he had become…or was she? Maybe there was something else going on as well. Did she…actually care about Riku in some way?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku felt so strange, not in control at all, watching as his body moved through a corridor of blackness, appearing behind Maleficent who seemed injured. He wanted to ask if she was alright, but he couldn’t.

“Do you need some help?” it was his voice but not and he was terrified. What was happening? This wasn’t what he wanted, was it?

“Riku!” a familiar voice called and then his body turned to face Sora and his friends. Sora…his rival…enemy…friend?

“Is that—” the duck stared at Riku’s hand and he felt it move, the object he was holding coming into his line of sight even as he spoke.

“Yes. A Keyblade. But unlike yours, this Keyblade holds the power to unlock people’s hearts. Allow me to demonstrate... Behold!” he spun and stabbed out with it, the blade sinking into Maleficent’s chest.

“Wha—” she gasped as she was flooded with darkness, staring into his eyes in shock and he wanted to move, to do something. She’d been the only one kind to him since he had arrived, had taught him, helped him… and he’d stabbed her.

He saw the understanding in her eyes even as whatever was controlling him spoke. “Now, open your heart, surrender it to the darkness! Become darkness itself!” He released the Keyblade and retreated into a portal. What had he done?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared at where Riku had vanished after his words on the now dead Maleficent, more proof it wasn’t Riku anymore, something really was possessing him. Maleficent had known, had warned him…he’d seen the look in her eyes when Riku stabbed her and he realised she really had cared somehow for him. Whatever she’d been doing, she hadn’t planned on Riku becoming possessed, he was sure of that now.

He stood still as Donald finished healing them and then pulled out a pack to sip from, knowing there was more fighting to come and that he needed to keep full, the last thing he wanted was to find Kairi or Riku and then bite them because he had lost too much blood.

They moved back to the room they had originally faced her in and then on through a newly opened doorway, into a grand hall. Lining it were the Princesses held in some kind of capsule, all looking peaceful but lifeless…like Kairi. They kept moving, up the stairs and then he saw her.

“Kairi!” he rushed over, almost too fast, kneeling beside to her to lift her into his arms, shaking her gently. “Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!” he begged.

“It’s no use,” the strange double voice called, and he looked up to see Riku…or his body at least, sitting above the great heart. “That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up.”

Sora set Kairi down gently, those words just proved it wasn’t Riku, he would never sound like that when speaking about Kairi.

“You’re not Riku,” he stated, glaring at him.

“The Keyhole cannot be completed so long as the last princess of heart still sleeps.” Riku dropped down, almost floating down to stand before the heart.

“The princess...? Kairi’s a princess?” he stared down at her in shock.

“Yes, and without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete. It is time she awakened.”

“Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!” he snarled, baring his fangs, not that anyone but Donald and Goofy could see them.

“But first, you must give the princess back her heart,” Riku smirked, pointing his Keyblade at Sora.

Sora gasped, clutching his chest as he fell to the floor, barely catching himself. It hurt! Something pulling in his heart…which was tied to his physical body now…

“Sora!” Donald yelled.

Sora coughed, trying to breath, managing to look up, confused, where was Goofy… Oh there he was, pounding on an invisible wall. “What’s—" he slurred.

“Don’t you see yet?” Riku’s strange voice helped him focus, seeing his friends body walking towards them. “The princess’s heart is responding. It has been there all along. Kairi’s heart rests within you!”

“Kairi... Kairi’s inside me?” he whispered, the pain fading, looking down at her unmoving body.

“I know all that there is to know.”

“Tell me. Who are you?” he demanded, unable to get up yet.

Riku’s body smiled and part of Sora wanted to laugh, he’d be so embarrassed to realise he was basically wearing a skirt, another sign that Riku wasn’t in control. “It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness.”

He walked toward Sora, prompting Donald to yell out and rush at him, but he simply knocked Donald past the barrier and moved on. Sora glanced over, relieved to see Donald scrambling up to bang on the wall before looking back at Ansem. He felt shaky but his strength was returning quickly. He stood over Sora, looking down with glee, and pointed his Keyblade toward him.

“So, I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power. Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!” With a mad look in his eye, Ansem lifted the Keyblade, about to strike.

Sora froze, staring into mad eyes, searching for any sign of Riku in there.

_“Sora!”_

Kairi? Sora blinked and then raised his Keyblade to block the strike. Ansem grit his teeth,

putting more pressure on the blade but Sora pushed to his feet, snarling. “Forget it! There’s no way you’re taking Kairi’s heart!” He knocked Ansem’s blade back and settled himself mentally for the fight.

“Come,” Ansem taunted and Sora took those precious seconds to cast some defensive spells before launching himself at the enemy.

He knew that for this fight, he would have to worry less about protecting his secret and use everything he had. He had to save Riku!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku watched as his body fought Sora, hearing the other teen actually snarl and hiss at him at various points of the fight which…wasn’t like him, was it? Thinking about Sora was hard and that worried him…something…had changed his feelings? His memories? Ansem? Maybe…he and Sora hadn’t been rivals and then enemies? He saw the searching look in blue eyes as their gazes locked, Sora trying to find something and obviously failing. Was he looking for Riku, for a sign he was still in his body somewhere?

He tried to think back to the Island, to go over everything, even as the fight continued. He found a sense of pride in how strong Sora had become…which wasn’t right if they’d been rivals, was it? In giving into the Darkness…had he sacrificed more than he’d known? He…he… he had hurt his best friend, if he could, he would be gasping for air as it hit him. Yeah, they’d pushed each other, but it had been him who had turned things harsher, meaner, towards the end, not Sora.

Sora had stuck by him though, always grinning, even when there was pain in his eyes…just like the blue haired lady had asked him to. He’d all but forgotten her…and…the man who had shown him a Keyblade. It had been after them that they had seen the door in the Secret Place…that Riku had first heard the voice. The voice that had belonged to the hooded figure who had told him to let himself become Darkness. It…it had all been a plan, he’d been used…

Maleficent had been right, he hadn’t been careful enough. She had warned him again and again, she really had cared about him in her own way. She had praised his successes, seen that he had what he needed or even wanted…and in those early days, when he’d been desperate to find Sora and Kairi, she had agreed that they could come to the castle. It was only when they had seen Sora with the Keyblade that she had changed that somewhat. He could see it now, they had been doing evil things, and yes, she had used him to do them, but she had also wanted him safe and healthy. And his possessed body had stabbed her in the heart to release the Darkness in her heart fully, to let it consume her.

Riku distantly felt the pain as one of Sora’s strikes landed across his ribs but Ansem didn’t seem bothered by the wound at all. He went in for a hit of his own as Sora was trying to move back and Riku knew…Sora couldn’t dodge in time. No! for a split second he felt himself take control of his body, yanking his arm back, staring at Sora in horror.

“Riku?” Sora breathed, and Riku opened his mouth to respond.

“So” he was cut off as Ansem seized control back from him, Riku feeling the sneer form on his face.

_TBC…._


	5. ch5

_Disclaimer: Not mine_

_For those who wanted to see what would happen with freeing Kairi’s heart, here it is._

**Chapter 5**

Sora grimaced as Ansem hit him again and again, but he’d seen it, for just a second, Riku had been in control, had pulled what would have been a potentially fatal blow, had tried to speak to him…Riku was still in there!

Ansem stopped, moving back for something, but Sora wasn’t going to give him the chance. He was hungry, he needed blood, even though he took a second to heal the wounds and stop the blood loss. He had to end the fight now! Beat Ansem and then find a way to get him out of Riku.

He took a deep breath and then he moved, drawing the Keyblade back, throwing it, a move he’d used a hundred times, putting more strength than normal behind it. He’d seen the speed and strength Ansem had given to Riku’s body, the ability to shrug off wounds that matched his own. So he was utterly shocked when the blow not only connected but Ansem fell to his knees, dropping his own Keyblade. For a second, he saw Riku in his eyes again and then his body began to fade away.

“Riku!” he yelled in denial, lunging forward, reaching for him, seeing his fingers twitch and try to rise to reach back but then he was gone. NO! He slumped to his knees and suddenly Donald and Goofy were there, Donald casting healing spells while Goofy pressed a blood pack to his mouth. “He…he’s gone,” he choked out and then they were hugging him.

“Sora…it wasn’t Riku,” Donald tried, and he shook his head.

“He was still in there. Ansem nearly had me but Riku pulled the blow, he tried to talk…then he was gone again. I…I killed Riku…” he whimpered.

“Shh,” Goofy soothed, rubbing his back. “If Riku was aware, he wouldn’t blame ya Sora. You freed him.”

Sora took a shaky breath, leaning against them, but slowly nodded. Riku wouldn’t want Ansem using his body for evil, he wouldn’t. He slowly pulled back and got to his feet, looking up at the strange Keyhole, they had a job to do. He summoned his Keyblade and aimed it at the hole…but nothing happened.

“It won’t work! The Keyhole’s not finished yet!” Goofy called and Sora dismissed the blade.

“What can we do?” he asked in confusion.

“Maybe we’ve gotta go wake Kairi up.”

Sora looked over at where she was lying. “I think you’re right,” he admitted, pressing his hand to his chest. “If we can free her heart... But... But how?” Ansem’s attempt to remove it hadn’t worked but…his Keyblade was still there. “A Keyblade that unlocks people’s hearts... I wonder,” he whispered, staring at it. It hadn’t been able to pull her heart from him, but could it unlock it?

“Sora?” Goofy looked at him but Sora ignored it to walk over to the Keyblade, picking it up. “Sora, hold on!”

“No, wait!” Donald yelled as he realised what Sora was planning.

Sora took a deep breath and aimed it at his chest. He didn’t need to breath except to speak but he still did it out of habit. Merlin said he couldn’t naturally become a Heartless, did stabbing himself with a Keyblade count as a natural method? Could a Keyblade kill a vampire?

He smiled at them, despite his fear, and then pushed the blade in, his skin being pierced far more easily than with any other weapon, but it didn’t hurt.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They watched in horror as Sora stabbed himself in the heart. His chest glowed brightly and the Keyblade floated out of him. Sora’s eyes fell shut and he began to fall backwards even as they remained frozen in horror. The dark Keyblade split into six hearts that floated back into the Princesses. Another heart surged from Sora’s chest and floated back to Kairi, but they didn’t look at her, terrified for what would happen next. The entrance to the Dark Depths shimmered behind them, the barrier broken, and Sora glowed brightly, slowly falling.

Donald finally managed to move, rushing towards the falling boy. “Sora... Sora!”

“Sora!” a young female voice called, and Donald saw Kairi scrambling to her feet, running towards Sora as well. She reached him first, catching him as the glow faded, falling back as she took his weight. “Sora?” she shook his shoulder, but he didn’t move, head rolling limply with her shaking.

“Sora? Sora, wake up!” Donald cried in alarm as he knelt.

Sora hadn’t slept at all since waking from his transformation, vampires didn’t sleep. He could be rendered unconscious from a bad enough injury but there was no wound, not even a tear in his clothing that Donald could see. Sora was utterly limp in Kairi’s hold, not breathing, even though the illusion depicted his chest rising and falling. Those who knew the truth saw Sora’s true form, the illusion a barely visible overlay to let them know what others could see.

“Sora!” Goofy wailed as he joined them, hands hovering but not actually touching the young vampire.

Sora…looked paler than normal, more like a corpse, and Donald poured magic into him, trying to heal anything that could be wrong. He had to still have his heart otherwise his body would have faded away which meant that whatever was wrong could be fixed, right?

None of them noticed the portal of Darkness that appeared on the other side of the landing, a stranger stepping out to stare at them. “So, you have awakened at last, Princess. The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose. But now it’s over,” the unfamiliar voice had them turning, putting themselves between the speaker and Kairi who still held Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

His changed body walked slowly towards Kairi and he was so happy to see her awake finally. Then he saw she was supporting a body…Sora! He lay utterly limp against her, eyes closed, chest barely moving. Her heart…had been inside him…was Sora now….No! He saw Donald and Goofy brandish their weapons, but he knew they would be no match for Ansem.

“Don’t make another move!”

“Do you think we can stop him all by ourselves?”

“I don’t know!”

Riku threw everything he had left at trying to regain control, to do anything to save Kairi and Sora. To his shock, Ansem began struggling to move.

“Impossible...” Ansem grunted.

Riku found himself almost floating in front of Ansem, arms out to block him even as he stared at the group, hearing Kairi gasp as she stared right at him. There was so much he wanted to say but he knew there was no time. “No. You won’t use me for this!” he told the being possessing his body, he would not be used to hurt them!

“Riku!” Kairi reached for him with one hand and he wanted to reach back but he couldn’t. Sora remained still against her, not reacting at all.

“You’ve got to run! The Heartless are coming!” he warned, pleading with them to save themselves. It was too late for him, but he couldn’t bear the thought of being used to hurt them again, not now that his head and heart had cleared.

A horde of Shadow Heartless appeared, surrounding them. Kairi touched her necklace and nodded, tears in her eyes, understanding she would never see him again. Riku watched Goofy spin and scoop Sora up into his arms to run with him, Donald pulling Kairi up as they ran from the Grand Hall.

“What about the Keyhole?” he heard Goofy call even as he faded away, his last sight was of Kairi glancing back at him as she ran.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi watched as Goofy gently lay Sora down on the bench in their ship, using a harness to ensure he would be safe even as Donald pushed her into a chair and got her strapped in too. “Sora,” she called but there was no reaction.

“Strap in!” Donald yelled at Goofy who scrambled to his own seat, the ship taking off.

She was so confused but none of that mattered. Riku…Riku was…gone? And Sora wouldn’t wake up which scared her. She was in a spaceship and something about that felt familiar, like she’d been doing it a while, been with Sora…

“Where are we goin’?” Goofy asked.

“Merlin’s.” Donald answered, sounding angry.

She just watched Sora the whole trip, praying he would wake up.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin stood as Donald burst in, a young girl with him and then…Goofy ran in, an unmoving Sora clutched to his chest. “My goodness, what has happened?” he asked even as he cleared a space for Goofy to set the boy down.

He looked Sora over as they explained what Sora had done to himself to free Kairi’s heart. That was a shock, how had he not sensed her heart being sheltered by Sora’s during any of the myriad of exams he’d given Sora since he’d been turned? Sora was deathly still, only the illusion giving him any sense of life as it continued to breath. He would remove it except the girl didn’t know and this was hardly the way to reveal the changes to her friend. His body was uninjured and yet he hadn’t woken.

“Perhaps you should take Kairi to meet the others,” he suggested, and she stared at him defiantly, but they pulled her away. “As soon as he wakes and I am sure he is alright, I will send for you,” he promised, and they left.

Merlin waited until he sensed them leave via the district door and then carefully removed the illusion to get a better look without his own magic interfering. The first thing to check was Sora’s own heart, just to be sure…and yes, it was still there. He scanned deeper since he had missed Kairi’s presence and blinked in shock. What? He checked again and confirmed the result. Slumbering deep within…was another heart.

“Dear boy, how do you get into these situations?” he asked softly.

The other heart wasn’t causing any damage and it seemed to have been there for years so for now he would leave it be. Hearts were not his speciality after all and for that he may have to consult Yen Sid eventually. It wasn’t like it was causing any problems for Sora after all.

Ah, and there was the problem. The attempt to forcefully remove her heart had caused more damage than had been visible to Donald at the time; the following battle, and Sora then stabbing himself with a Keyblade hadn’t helped either. His body had shut down in an effort of self-preservation, despite the healing magics he had been exposed to since the injury. Merlin quickly went about setting up what he needed to help Sora heal before he fell into a healing ‘coma’ that could keep him out for years considering everything he had been through since his home had been taken by the Darkness. It was something of a last resort for vampires of his kind and was likely the state his Sire was currently in.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He felt so tired…he just wanted to sleep forever…

“Come now Sora, you don’t want to worry your friends dear boy,” a cheerful voice called, a voice he knew, and he struggled to respond.

His friends? He…what had happened? He fought to remember, to move, to wake up…and finally he blinked blearily up at a familiar ceiling. “Mer…lin,” he croaked out, voice hoarse.

“There you are,” Merlin leant over him, looking utterly relieved.

He tried to sit up, but he didn’t have the strength to move. “Wha…”

“Hush, don’t try to speak.” Thin, wiry, arms moved around him, gently pulling up into a sitting position against something soft, pillows? For someone who looked so old and skinny, Merlin was surprisingly strong. “Here, you need to feed.”

A mug was pressed to his lips and Sora opened his mouth, drinking. As soon as the blood touched his tongue he realised he was starving, barely able to keep his drinking civilised in any way. Thankfully, Merlin seemed to understand and kept the blood coming until finally Sora was done.

He felt more alert though still weak, looking around to find he was on the main floor of the magical house and not in the training room that had been converted for him when he’d been turned. So he hadn’t been considered a risk to anyone despite how hungry he’d been… “Merlin?”

“What is the last thing you remember?” the wizard asked gently, and Sora frowned, thinking back.

They’d gone to Hollow Bastion…Riku! There’d been fights, Maleficent… “Oh,” he pressed a hand to his chest, eyes wide, and Merlin nodded, explaining just how much damage had been done, and how close he’d been to either becoming a Heartless or ending up in a coma to allow himself to heal everything physical, mental, and emotional…which would have meant a long time.

“The others?” he asked.

“Donald and Goofy introduced Kairi to Aerith and the others, and convinced her to stay there. Now that you are awake you can put this back on, and I can call them in to see you when you’re ready.” Merlin handed him back the armband that held the illusion spell and he slipped it on, he hadn’t even realised it wasn’t on!

Kairi…she was in Traverse Town and awake! Thoughts of her led to ones of Riku…was he really dead? Had he killed him when he struck down Ansem or was there any kind of hope? He closed his eyes and felt Merlin pet his hair before leaving him to rest. He still felt weak and shaky but now that he was conscious he knew sleep was as impossible as ever. Still, he could rest, let his body and mind go still, as close to sleep as he could get now.

When he opened his eyes he saw Merlin at his desk, reading something by the light of a candle which meant he’d been resting for at least several hours. Sora managed to push himself up on the pillows, feeling stronger although not back to normal which was a big indicator of just how bad it had been. He’d drunk so much blood that he should be fully healed and yet he was still shaky.

“Merlin?”

The wizard turned and smiled at seeing him sitting up. “Welcome back Sora, how do you feel?”

“Better,” he told him, and Merlin got up, offering him a mug which Sora took and drank, surprised to find he was a little hungry. Thankfully the one mug was enough to fill him.

“Up to visitors? I let them know you woke briefly yesterday, and young Kairi is most insistent on seeing you this morning.”

“What time is it?”

“Early,” Merlin patted his hand, taking the empty mug away.

Time was weird in Traverse Town, but most residents tried to follow a clock of night and day. Halloween Town sort of did something similar, at least for those residents who ever needed to rest.

Sora carefully pulled the blanket back and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, bare feet on the stone floor. The noise got Merlin’s attention and he looked over, standing to help in case he fell. Sora took a deep breath and pushed to his feet, wavering, but he remained standing.

“The tub in the usual place?” he asked, and Merlin actually had to think about it before nodding. “Thanks.” He moved out of the room to go soak in the hot water for a while, someone had wiped him clean of the blood and sweat of the battles, but he could still feel it and even smell it.

Soaking in the hot water gave his body the chance to relax, his wings limp down his back in the water as he floated. His mind was another matter though, continually running over the fight with Riku’s possessed body…the look in cyan eyes when Riku had managed to grab control for that second, seeing the desperation and fear there. Then after…he knew it had been Riku at the end, Riku trying to move, to lift a hand to him, to reach out. He had killed his best friend… he shuddered and dunked himself fully, laying under the surface as bloody tears slipped free.

He’d known Riku all his life, they’d grown up together, always together…but in those last month’s Riku had begun to change, had he already been letting the Darkness in even then? It had been the two of them before Kairi had ever arrived on the Islands…how had they let liking her grow between them like that? Surely Riku knew that he loved them both, that he would never abandon one of them even if Kairi had chosen him and that hadn’t been guaranteed until Riku had started pulling away. He’d really thought Kairi and Riku would pair off one day and he’d been okay with that as long as they all remained close friends. Now it didn’t matter…because Riku was gone. Would Kairi ever forgive him?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi ran into the house, seeing Sora sitting up on the bed, hair damp and dressed in clean clothing although not what he’d been wearing before. He looked up and grinned at her but there was something…dimmer about it. His grins always radiated happiness but now there was sadness and she moved to his side. She got on the bed, and wrapped her arms around him, feeling him tense briefly before he slumped in her hold, his own arms slowly wrapping around her back.

“Kairi…I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he sobbed, and she tightened her grip, alarmed.

“For what?” she asked, confused, even as she rubbed his back.

“Riku…I…I didn’t mean to, I thought he’d block…”

“Shh Sora,” she pressed her lips to his head where he’d buried it against her chest. “You didn’t kill him,” of course he didn’t know, he’d practically been comatose once he’d freed her heart. “He saved us Sora, he held Ansem back and gave us time to grab you and run.”

“What?” he lifted his head and stared at her in confusion, so she explained what she’d seen, and Donald had explained to her later.

The thought of Riku slowly succumbing to the Dark until his body was taken over by another… he’d changed, she’d meant it when she’d spoken with Sora that evening on the raft but now she regretted it. She should never have suggested they leave without Riku, she should have done more to help him, to reach out and show him that she loved both of them, they were her best friends!

“We’ll find a way to save him,” she whispered because the thought of losing him forever was too much.

“We will,” he tightened his hold, shifting to press his face into her hair. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Don’t you ever stab yourself again!” she told him, seeing him glow and collapse like that, to have him utterly unresponsive…almost appearing dead… it had scared her more than the Heartless had! “I thought you were dead and then Merlin wouldn’t let us see you.”

“Hey, I’m okay now. It was Ansem trying to rip your heart free that did the main damage, not my stabbing myself…and I’d do it a thousand times over to save you.”

Soon, the others joined them, and they settled in to talk and plan. She hated the thought of going back there but apparently the now completed Keyhole needed to be sealed and only Sora could do that.

When Sora got up to go and get the needed navigation Gummi, she slipped her hand in his, surprising him but he didn’t try to make her stay as the four of them headed to down into the waterway.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Sora... Kairi... I’m sorry...” he whispered as he kept walking through the greyness. “Is this the after world?” He stumbled forward and his form shimmered, making him gasp in fear. “I’m not ready. Not yet. Not until I see Sora and Kairi one last time...” he didn’t know who he was trying to bargain with, but he stopped shimmering so maybe it’d worked?

“Riku, can you hear me? I’ll be there soon,” an unknown voice called, and he whirled around.

“Who is that?” he demanded; a lot more wary of voices now.

“I have the other Keyblade—the one that belongs to this world,” the voice answered, he was pretty sure it was male.

Riku looked around in confusion. He…he was scared, he wanted Kairi and Sora. Sora…was he even alive?

“I’ve been trying to get through to you, but the darkness in your heart kept me away.”

“Who are you? What’s happened to me?” he asked, he needed to know. Was he dead?

“Your heart won the battle against the darkness, but it was too late for your body. That’s why you’re here—in this place of darkness where hearts are gathered,” the voice was sad and Riku felt sick.

“So what do I do?” He looked ahead down the winding road. Too late for his body…did that mean Ansem had it? Was he still there to threaten his friends?

“The Door of Darkness will open soon, but it’s a door we can’t enter. It has to be closed from both sides. To do this, you need two keys and two hearts. Maybe you’re here for the same reason I am. Maybe it was fate,” the voice explained.

“Fate, huh?” he choked, he could work it out, he was trapped in this world forever…he’d never go home, never see them again. “You seem to know everything, don’t you? Then tell me, are Sora and Kairi okay?” he demanded.

“Don’t you feel the echoes of their hearts? You already know the answer. Look inside your own heart.”

Riku closed his eyes, reaching out, trying to feel them. He saw an image of Kairi smiling at him, Sora…where was Sora? He reached more and then he felt it and took a shuddering breath, seeing Sora for a second, standing in shallow water somewhere, looking at something. “Okay,” he whispered.

If he could help keep them safe then he would do it, even if he was doomed to be trapped in the Dark forever. As long as they were alive, he could accept his fate, he’d brought it on himself after all.

_TBC…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So no Heartless Sora = no Roxas. Please don’t kill me?


	6. ch6

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 6**

“What a mysterious mural... It’s almost hypnotizing,” Kairi stared at the image on the wall as Sora approached it.

Sora studied it but then pressed a hand to his heart, looking up, for a second…he could have sworn he felt Riku. He looked back at the mural as it started to glow, changing into a crescent moon and a small gummi block floated out of it, landing in Sora’s hands. Sora grinned and then returned to the group. “Let’s go back, we should rest up,” he told them.

“Okay,” Kairi agreed as she stared at the mural of the moon while Donald and Goofy left the two alone after a worried look from Donald. “A light at the end of the tunnel...”

“Oh, your grandma’s story, right?” he asked, remembering that strange waking dream he’d had, and she blinked before smiling at him.

“That’s right. We were together.”

“You know what’s funny? I looked everywhere for you, but you were with me all along. Finally, we’re together, Kairi,” he smiled softly, walking closer to her. “Now, it’s time to get Riku back.”

“You think it’ll ever be the same again between us? Riku’s lost his...” she trailed off and he could smell her grief.

“But he’s still in there Kairi, he pulled a killing blow when fighting me and then he kept Ansem back from you. His heart’s still there, still fighting, and we will save him. Our hearts are connected,” he pressed a hand to his chest, still finding the stillness unnerving. “And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness around him. No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within. I guess it’s more than just a fairy tale.”

“Well, let’s go,” she grinned.

He shook his head. “You can’t go,” he hated to say it, but it was the truth. She couldn’t fight, didn’t have magic or a Keyblade, she’d never really even sparred with them back on the Islands.

“Why not?” she frowned, and he reached for her hand, wanting to be close while he could.

“Because it’s way too dangerous.”

Kairi pulled away, hands going behind her back and it hurt. “Come on, Sora. We made it this far by sticking together. You can’t go alone.”

“Kairi, even if we’re apart, we’re not alone anymore. Right?” he asked, and she looked down before glancing back up at him.

“I can’t help?” She asked and he reached out to gently touch her cheek.

“Kairi…you’d kind of be in my way,” he admitted, shocked when she giggled and smiled.

“Okay. You win.” She grabbed his hand, pressing something into it. “Take this.”

He looked down, seeing a star-shaped keychain made of thalassa shells.

“It’s my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me,” she told him firmly, and he looked up at her again.

“Don’t worry, I will,” he told her seriously.

“Promise?” She asked and he heard the slight shake to her voice that human hearing wouldn’t pick up, so he moved closer, hugging her.

“Promise,” he whispered. He would do everything he could to keep that promise, he would bring it and Riku back to her.

“Don’t ever forget. Wherever you go, I’m always with you,” she whispered in his ear in return, hugging him back.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The way the Princesses’ reacted to him hurt a little, but he knew why, and it wasn’t any of their fault. They could subconsciously sense what he was, and it made them wary…so why had Kairi not reacted like them? He thought they were amazing and brave for staying somewhere so creepy to hold the Darkness back as best they could.

He fingered the keychain Belle had given him, wondering if it would work as well for him as she thought it would. Only one way to know so as they approached the hall where he’d faced Ansem, he swapped the chain, watching the Keyblade change and he was stunned to find that he felt a boost. The only Keychain that did that for him anymore was the one he’d gained in Halloween Town and he assumed it was because he was a vampire now. So why did the one Belle gave him react so well? She’d said he should use it to face the Darkness, like Beast, was that why it worked?

He stepped through the heart shaped entrance and saw the Keyhole in the distance but between them and it…was a behemoth. Wonderful.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald looked towards Sora, worried. He hadn’t taken the news of the Worlds separating again well and he didn’t blame him. Yuffie had said everyone would return to their home…but what would count for Sora now? Would the magic return him to the Islands or Halloween Town? The thought of never seeing Sora again hurt, how would he manage alone?

If Sora returned to a tropical Island then he would spend eternity hiding, in pain from the sun or having to live indoors during the day. Yes, the illusion protected him and so did his clothing, but there was always the chance the illusion accessory could be damaged. And what would he do for food? Then again, in Halloween Town he would fit in and Jack would surely help him…but what about Her? If she found him again then they could lose Sora in an even worse way then just being in separate Worlds. There had to be some way around things, there had to be!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy knew what Donald was thinking, how would Sora survive without them? Without Merlin and the group? He would have to tell Kairi, to have someone who could back him up, help him. But if he ended up in Halloween Town because he was now a vampire…Goofy fought back a shudder. There had to be a way to travel even once the Worlds were separated again…otherwise how had Keyblade bearers been found and trained before?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora slumped against the wall, letting Donald heal his remaining injuries as he downed a blood pack. Merlin had made sure to upgrade his equipment…obviously he knew the Worlds would separate because Sora had enough blood packs to last a year at least! Well, so long as he didn’t have to fight for the next few weeks straight. There was also books, potions, accessories …anything and everything he might need.

He’d heard the warning from the oddly familiar voice, that this was their last chance to rest and he figured there was no harm in doing that. They’d all told him that Riku’s body now looked like someone else, Ansem they all assumed. But Riku was still in there, they would reach him somehow. If it came down to it…he…he’d bite him, take enough to knock him out and hopefully no more than that. He didn’t think he could do to someone what she’d done to him to put him sleep although Merlin had only said he couldn’t turn someone yet so maybe he could? Still, battle probably wasn’t the best time to be experimenting.

He glanced at the others, seeing them ready, and straightened up, moving towards the door, opening it to step through.

“Is this... Is this my island?” he asked, bewildered. It looked like the Play Island but how was that possible? He’d seen it destroyed, and…there was no burn from the sun. Wherever they were, it wasn’t real.

“This world has been connected,” the hated voice intoned, and Sora spun, seeing the strange broken up land at the edge of the beach.

“What was that?” Goofy called his shield to hand.

“Tied to the darkness... Soon to be completely eclipsed,” Ansem kept speaking blandly, as if discussing algebra.

Sora swallowed as the wooden area past the long bridge vanished into thin air. He searched the area, but even vampiric vision couldn’t find him.

“There is so very much to learn,” he kept speaking as the ocean frothed, turning a dark violet colour. “You understand so little. A meaningless effort. One who knows nothing can understand nothing.”

The island flashed and the sky ripped open, shattering the peaceful illusion. Beyond the gashing tears was a dark, mad world. The beach crumbled and lifted out of the water, revealing its rocky undergrowth as what once was a dock split in two. Ansem stood at the edge of the water, still in possession of Riku’s body. They ran down to the beach where he stood motionless, staring out at the sea.

“Take a look at this tiny place. To the heart seeking freedom this is a prison surrounded by water. And so this boy sought out to escape from his prison.” He raised his arms, looking upward, the wind gusting through his hair and strange outfit. “He sought a way to cross over into other worlds. And he opened his heart to darkness.” Ansem turned and Riku’s body melted away, revealing the true form of the man, the Heartless symbol emblazoned on his chest.

“Riku!” Sora called desperately, reaching for him as his form vanished. Seeing him change was maybe worse than watching him fade away before.

“Don’t bother. Your voice can no longer reach him where he is. His heart belongs again to Darkness. All worlds begin in Darkness, and all so end. The heart is no different,” Ansem told him, voice gaining volume and maybe passion as he continued while Sora glared at him, fangs itching to rip his throat out. “Darkness sprouts within it, it grows, consumes it. Such is its nature. In the end, every heart returns to the darkness whence it came.”

Sora spun at a whisper of noise, Keyblade appearing, swiping, before the others even realised Ansem had teleported behind them. He almost connected too, seeing Ansem’s eyes widen slightly in shock at his speed. This fight, there’d be no holding back at all.

“You see, Darkness is the heart’s true essence.”

“That’s not true! The heart may be weak. And sometimes it may even give in. But I’ve learned that deep down, there’s a light that never goes out!” Sora snarled at him, he had to believe that because if it wasn’t true then he would be like her and he wasn’t. He was still Sora even if technically he’d become what many would class as a creature of Darkness.

Ansem rose into the air, crossing his arms. He stared down at them through piercing orange eyes. “So, you have come this far and still you understand nothing. Every light must fade, every heart return to darkness!”

“Give Riku back!” he demanded and then he launched himself up at his enemy. He would get Riku back!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

All Jiminy could do was hang on tight to Sora’s jacket as the vampire fought hard to save the World’s and his friend. If he spoke, he would distract Sora and that would be disastrous. All he could do was pray they triumphed and then try to help Sora deal with the trauma later. He did his best to help Sora deal with the vampires instincts, with the effects battle after battle had on his mental state, but he wasn’t sure what would happen at the end of this when the Worlds separated again. Who could he speak with back on his Islands?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora was exhausted, body screaming in protest, as he threw himself against one side of the door, Donald and Goofy shoving at the other. They had to close it! “Come on!” he called, but he knew they had to be even worse off than he was, in the end he’d been casting healing spells on them and not himself, relying solely on his vampiric healing even as he lost more and more blood. He was starving but there was no time.

Goofy peered through the gap and gasped in horror but Sora didn’t look, not wanting to see what they were trying to trap

“Stop staring and keep pushing!” Donald snapped but then looked as well and Sora saw his eyes widen. “Huh?!”

“The Heartless!?” they yelled in unison and Sora grimaced, throwing everything he had left into closing the door.

“Hurry!” Donald urged.

Sora continued to push, but the enormous door hardly budged, even under his enhanced strength, or what he had left of it. “I can’t...”

A hand appeared from beyond the door, wrapping around it just above his own, and Sora looked up, eyes going wide.

“Don’t give up!” Riku told him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Come on, Sora! Together, we can do it!” Riku told his best friend as he pulled on the door. Although after everything he’d done, he wouldn’t blame Sora for hating him.

Sora just stared blankly at him for a second before nodding. “Okay!”

He continued pushing the door closed as Riku pulled from his side. It killed him to do it, to close a door between them, but there was no choice, he didn’t belong to the Darkness and so couldn’t pass through the Door back to Sora. The door slowly began to close as stronger and stronger Heartless appeared in the dark realm behind him, he could feel them.

“It’s hopeless!” Donald wailed and Riku ignored him, solely focused on Sora.

Seeing him awake was such a relief. When he’d seen him crumpled against Kairi he’d been terrified he’d lost his heart and then when it had taken so much longer to sense him than her… but there he was, worse for wear sure, but alive and still fighting for what was important.

“Huh?” the two asked as someone began destroying the forming Heartless. Riku didn’t turn, he knew who it was. “Your Majesty!”

“Now, Sora! Let’s close this door for good!” King Mickey called and Sora broke eye contact with him to look at the King.

“Close it, quick!” Donald urged and Sora’s gaze moved back to Riku, understanding dawning, and Riku managed a small smile.

“But...”

“Don’t worry. There will always be a door to the light,” the King said to reassure him.

“Sora, you can trust King Mickey,” Goofy urged as Sora hesitated.

Riku looked back to the King. “Now! They’re coming!” it had to be done, no matter what it meant for the two of them.

“Donald, Goofy, thank you,” the King told his people.

“Riku…” Sora choked out and Riku met his eyes, seeing the grief there. He didn’t hate him?

“There’s no other way,” Riku told him as he continued to pull, seeing a tear fall from bright blue eyes.

The doors were beginning to close and Riku reached out for Sora who reached back. To his utter shock, their fingers brushed, Sora’s hand somehow passing through but then they were forced to pull apart as the gap shrank too small. He stared into tear filled blue and made himself smile, to let Sora’s last sight of him be of him at peace. He couldn’t let him know how scared he was.

“Take care of her,” he told him, and Sora nodded.

“We’ll find,” Sora called but the door shut before he finished and Riku fell to his knees, leaning against the door, tears finally falling.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora leapt back and held the Keyblade into the air, light forming at its tip, energy gathering. The door began to glow brightly and soon disappeared, revealing a long winding pathway

behind it.

He hoped Riku knew what he’d been saying, they would find him, somehow. Sora’s thoughts drifted to Riku and their life on the Islands; when they talked for hours on the dock, when they gazed out at the sea from the Paopu tree, when they used to play fight or race along the beach, laughing at each other. Life was much so much simpler, before the Heartless. When it was just Sora, Riku and...

Sora felt a presence behind him and turned, seeing Kairi at the edge of the world, staring around in confusion. Sora rand towards her as fast as he could, suddenly terrified, he’d just lost Riku, he couldn’t lose her too.

Kairi took a few steps backward, her shoes digging into the soft sand on the tiny piece of beach she’d appeared on. It seemed to be floating off the floating island into the abyss. Kairi

looked up, her eyes catching Sora.

“Kairi!” he ran up to her.

“Sora!” She stepped closer and the two worlds shook, separating from each other. Kairi shrieked as Sora stopped her fall. They stared into each other’s eyes, even as they clung to each other’s hands.

“Kairi, remember what you said before? I’m always with you, too,” he rushed out, trying to pull her across but there was something stopping him, they could touch but neither could cross. They continued to drift apart, leaving them leaning more and more, desperately trying to hold on to each other. “I’ll come back to you. I promise!” he swore

“I know you will!” she managed a teary smile.

Their hands were pulled apart and Kairi drifted away from Sora, who reached out to

her. She folded her hands together as they continued to stare, unwilling to look away and miss one second of seeing each other. Sora’s un-beating heart was breaking, he’d lost them both again.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi looked down when a small point of light floated down into her hands. She looked up and the sky was filled with tiny points of light, the essence of Worlds. They floated down around the both of them as the Destiny Islands began to reassemble around her. Trees burst through the ground as the wooden platforms at the beach reformed to the way they used to be. Kairi watched in awe as the ocean rolled in.

She looked back at Sora and he was so far away…Sora smiled and called out to her as the World barrier formed, finally separating the two of them, but she couldn’t hear him or read his lips.

Kairi looked down to the water as the light around Sora fell back...he was gone, just like Riku…she was alone. She looked up suddenly as the light burst into shooting stars which flew into the sky, reclaiming their proper places. As the Worlds were restored, Kairi’s smiled slightly as she gazed at the beauty around her.

Eventually, the sun and the clouds returned, and the island was as she remembered. A soft wind blew through the trees and seagulls flew in the air as Kairi walked away from the beach and towards the Secret Place. A ray of light shone through the hole in the ceiling, illuminating the many drawings on the walls. She walked through the cave, touching the rough rocky walls, fondly recalling the memories with her friends.

She reached the furthest wall and knelt, seeing a new drawing of Sora giving her a Paopu fruit. Emotion welled up inside her as an image of Sora drawing on the walls appeared before her. He stared back at her and smiled, and then Riku was behind his shoulder, smiling at her too, before they disappeared. She held out a hand, smiling, and then started to cry. She went to work, adding to the drawing. She drew in an image of Riku and added two more of the fruit as well. They would all be together again one day, she had to believe that.

Sora had promised and she would believe in him. Of course, if she found a way to leave the Islands before they returned then she would be going after them rather than sit around and wait. She needed to find Tidus and Wakka too, get them to start showing her how to fight. She was done being defenceless.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They walked side by side down the dirt road, all a little shocked they were still together and not back where they came from. The worlds had separated, they should be home too, but they weren’t. Donald was honestly relieved, they hadn’t wanted to say goodbye to Sora, absently wondering how Daisy would take it if he told her they were adopting the boy.

“Well, now what do we do?” he asked, glancing at Sora who walked between him and Goofy, his hands behind his head.

Thankfully once they’d appeared in whatever world they were in, there’d been plenty of time for Sora to feed and replace what he’d lost in the previous battles, all of them taking the time to rest.

“We’ve gotta find Riku and King Mickey,” Sora answered, voice hitching a little on his friends name.

“But, uh, where do we start lookin’ for that there door to the light?” Goofy asked.

They stop and sighed, bending towards the ground. Sora straightened, scenting the air, and they readied for a possible fight but then they saw Pluto crossing the road up ahead, his tail wagging.

“Pluto?” Donald stared in disbelief.

Pluto looked over at them, tail wagging faster.

“Hey, Pluto. Where have you been?”

“Hey…he woke me up in Traverse Town!” Sora said, and they looked at each other, remembering the dog wandering off when they’d arrived. If they’d followed him they would have found Sora even faster! “Huh? What’s with the envelope?” Sora asked.

“Gawrsh, that’s the king’s seal!”

Pluto just blinked at them.

“Hey, have you seen King Mickey?” Sora called softly, taking a step closer, reaching for the envelope.

Donald was shocked when Pluto shied back, yes, most animals could tell Sora was a predator, but he hadn’t expected Pluto to react like that and from the look on his face, neither had Sora. He glared at the King’s companion for upsetting the young vampire, he couldn’t help what he was! Pluto started running down the road and Sora looked back at them.

“Guys, let’s go!”

They raced after Pluto, Donald keeping his hat from flying off, and laughed together as the road wound ahead of them. Sora could easily overtake Pluto but seemed happy enough to simply follow him for now.

_TBC…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now you all have to wait for me to write out chain of memories. going to do what I did for this part and write it all out before posting it. So it may take a few weeks or so.


	7. ch7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we start part 2! Enjoy. I actually gave up on this game and just watched the cut scenes due to the whole card battle thing, drove me insane.

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 7**

She sat in the white room, coloured pencil moving over the paper. She drew the castle she was in, carefully, three small figures approaching it. He was coming…Sora. She had no memories of anything before the room, but she knew Sora. She was so lonely…

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He had been aware almost instantly of ‘Ansem’s’ failure and while it was a setback, they had each had their role to play. And he had several contingencies ready to go. The research in Castle Oblivion into memory and replica’s was important and perhaps would help finish filling their ranks. They still did not have a thirteenth member and it was very possible they would soon be down even more members. Treachery was suspected and that was why he had chosen those he had to send to Castle Oblivion. He had just sent Axel to deal with them, better they be dealt with now then to let their treason spread to others.

He knew the Heartless version of himself had fallen to the new Keyblade wielder…young Sora, after possessing the boys friend. Access to the Keyblade would speed things up, a pity the boy had not formed a Nobody when he became a Heartless himself. It was an assumption, but it had to be correct for the last Princess’ heart to have been freed. There were many questions regarding the boy, including how he was returned from his Heartless state.

Marluxia had sent word, Naminé had drawn an image of the boy and his companions approaching the Castle as planned. They could prove very useful to them via either the memory experiments or the replica program, and a good way to test Marluxia and the others. He had no worry about Vexen and his section, they were too interested in the experiments to contemplate treason.

The other boy would likely be more useful to their plans, already exposed to the Darkness…and locked behind the door. Such a waste.

Vexen had sent them the results of one of his experiments and perhaps for now it could fill the position of XIII. It would need training though, it had very little knowledge or personality. They had used the memory data he had collected from Sora during their brief confrontation in Hollow Bastion on the puppet, but it wasn’t enough. Once Sora reached the Castle, Vexen’s team could copy more memories to give to ‘Xion’, make it more complete and useful.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora lay in the grass beside the dirt road, staring up at the night sky. They didn’t have a clue where they were and they’d somehow lost Pluto. This World was strange, nothing but rolling hills of grass, it would be boring if they hadn’t just come away from multiple fights to the death…against the one guy.

They had plenty of food, for all of them, thankfully, enough to last for several months at least. But they had no ship, no way to leave. As the sky began to lighten, he got up to look around more.

“Along the road ahead lies something you need.”

Sora spun around, calling his Keyblade to hand, fighting the urge to crouch. Further along the road he spotted a figure wearing a black-hooded coat, completely hiding his body, hood up over his head…and then he was gone. Sora looked around for him, and the man reappeared behind him, Sora spinning to face him.

“However…in order to claim it you must lose something that is dear to you.” The man turned around and disappeared.

Sora walked ahead, searching around, but it seemed he was really gone this time. Sora breathed deeply but the scent was…strange, almost impossible to detect despite the fact the man had been standing there only seconds before. He hurried back to wake the others and tell them what had happened.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Marluxia looked at Naminé’s latest drawing and smirked. The Keyblade bearer was about to enter and now it appeared the one Ansem had possessed was also to join them. So many opportunities. They could make good use of one or even both boys in their plans to overthrow the Superior.

He looked over at where Naminé was sitting, cowering. She was so easy to use and control, such a marvellous find for the Organisation with her powers over memory.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Where am I...” Riku couldn’t feel anything around him…floating. He was so tired…

“Stay asleep.”

Riku gasped, forcing his eyes open, at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. “Who's there?!” he asked, able to see nothing but unending grey.

“You should remain asleep. Here, between Light and Dark.”

“Between...what?” he asked in confusion and then gasped again as memory flooded back. “The king! Where's the king?! Together we closed the door to Darkness. After that…” he remembered nothing.

“You came drifting here by yourself. You did not have the strength to overcome the Darkness. Or...maybe you were close to it.”

“Hmph. As if I'm some kind of demon.” He lifted his hands, flexing them, making fists, getting his body moving to stay awake, before looking up to try and see anything.

“Hmm. Turn from the Light. Shut your eyes. Here blanketed by the Darkness, sleep is safety. Sleep is eternal. But...” the voice trailed off and a light shone in front of him, revealing a card. Riku averted his eyes from the light, finding it blinding after the greyness. The card floated around him.

“What's this?” he asked warily.

“It is a door to the truth. Take it and your sleep ends, as you take the first step toward the truth. But know this: the truth will bring you pain. Will you still go? There is no return to the security of sleep,” the voice explained.

Riku thought about it. He was tired and sleep sounded wonderful…he could just let go…but Sora…Kairi…he remembered the look on Sora’s face as the door shut between them, how desperately he had tried to take his hand… Riku reached out and took the card.

“This seemed like a boring place to take a nap anyway,” he told the voice, and he swore he sensed amusement from it.

“That was very well said, Riku.”

The card glowed, and Riku covered his eyes, blinking in the bright light of a pure white hallways. He saw a door up ahead and then looked down at the card in his hand, approaching the door.

“A door to the truth, huh...” he held the card up to the door.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi got up and went to her bedroom window, looking out at the Island. She could see Sora’s house just down the road, a single light on just in case a missing son returned in the night. She couldn’t see Riku’s, but she knew no light burned there to usher him home. She missed them so much…

She’d barely been home for four days, but it was like she’d never been gone, no one really remembered anything except a bad storm thankfully. She didn’t know how she’d explain where she’d been during that time. Sora’s Mom had asked her if she knew where they were and she’d had to admit that she didn’t, not sure what she could tell her. The truth would sound insane after all.

In the morning, she’d be back at school for a new year and then everyone would know they were missing. She just hoped that Sora could find Riku fast and that they’d be home soon. She missed them so much.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Well, Sora? Did you enjoy meeting your memories?”

Sora stared at the black covered figure, trying to work out what the point to all of that was. Donald and Goofy had lost all of the hard earned abilities they’d gained during the journey…but he hadn’t forgotten his. He’d played along, though it was hard, acting as if he couldn’t use magic and could only bash Heartless with the Keyblade. It was frustrating but he didn’t think letting them know he could do it was a good idea.

Something or someone was messing with memories…and he was a vampire, vampires didn’t forget, if they did then what was the point to immortality? They’d just end up a new person every few centuries. They could grow (not physically obviously) and learn but they couldn’t lose anything once turned, too frozen in time. 

“Yeah, it was good to see everyone. But what do you really want from me?” He asked, he didn’t think it was anything good.

“What do you have to give?”

The man walked toward them. Sora, Donald, and Goofy summoned their weapons but before anything could happen another man appeared, this one with his hood down, revealing spiky red hair.

“Hello!” the newcomer greeted almost cheerfully but his green eyes were not friendly.

“What do you want?” the first asked.

“No hogging the hero.”

The hooded man seemed to hesitate but then tossed the red-haired man a card. “Then perhaps you'd like to test him.”

“Perhaps I would,” he smirked as the first disappeared. “My show now, Keyblade master. Who am I? Oh, my name's Axel. Got it memorized?”

“Uh...sure,” Sora answered, surprised to find he could catch this one’s scent relatively easily, was the cloak somehow blocking that when the hood was up? He smelt like fire, ash…a bit like sea salt…and something sweet? There was Darkness too, not quite as much as Sora had expected, but none of the scents he tended to equate with emotions which was really weird.

“Good, you're a quick learner. So Sora, now that we're getting to know each other better…” Axel smirked and summoned two bladed chakrams. “Don't you go off and die on me now!”

Sora nodded, dropping into a fighting stance, letting Axel make the first move, wanting to see how he fought. Leon had beaten that into his head, don’t rush into fights with unknown opponents. It was hard, holding back, and with the others having lost so much as well. Sora took a few more hits than normal when he had to cover for them but in the end, Axel vanished, leaving a card covered in light hovering where he’d been. Sora walked over and plucked it from the air. He needed to feed soon but he was worried, what if they were watching them?

“Another one. What's it do?” Donald asked, looking at it when Sora held it out to them.

“Hmm. Kinda looks like the card you used when you made Traverse Town,” Jiminy commented after climbing onto Sora’s shoulder.

He didn’t know why the cricket stayed with him all the time, he had to get cold since Sora didn’t generate body heat anymore, and since he was unaffected by the illusion he would feel his true temperature. Didn’t insects do badly in the cold?

“Then I guess we're gonna need it to keep going,” Sora shrugged.

“That's right,” Axel’s voice had him turning, Keyblade once more in hand, but the older male didn’t seem to be looking for a fight this time. He looked….smelled, injured, though not too badly.

“Axel!” Donald brandished his staff in warning, but Axel approached as if it didn’t worry him, which it probably didn’t considering Donald’s current skill level.

“Did you really think after that introduction, I would give up oh so easily?”

“You were testing us,” Sora suggested, and Axel grinned though there was nothing friendly about it. Actually, all his expression, his scent, none of it seemed to give away emotion at any time and that was just plain weird.

“And you passed. Congratulations, Sora! You're ready now…ready to take on Castle Oblivion. You will need to follow your memories. Trust what you remember and seek what you forget. Then you will find someone very special.”

“You mean King Mickey and Riku?” Goofy asked.

“You will just have to give some more thought to who it is that's…most important to you. Our most precious memories lie so deep within our hearts that they're out of reach. But I'm sure that you can find yours, Sora.”

“Why me?” he didn’t like what he was hearing at all. There was something very wrong in the Castle, but what? If the Traverse Town they’d been to had been made from his memories, then why hadn’t anyone there known him?

“You have lost sight of the Light within the Darkness. And it seems that you've forgotten that you forgot.”

“The Light within Darkness...” he was horrible at riddles! Riku was better but even he would probably be lost, Kairi was really the one out of the three of them that had any luck with the things.

Axel held out his hand. “Would you like me to give you a hint?”

“Sora…do ya need it?” Goofy asked after a moment, but Sora shook his head.

“I'm gonna figure it out for myself,” he answered, he didn’t think he wanted ‘help’ from anyone in the Castle except his friends. The people in black were dangerous and he didn’t need to be able to smell them to know that.

“Good answer. Just what I'd expect from the Keyblade master. But be forewarned... When your sleeping memories awaken, you may no longer be who you are now.” With that warning, Axel vanished again, leaving behind five World Cards.

Sora stared at the place where he’d been, thinking. They definitely wanted something from him, but what? They kept bringing up memories but why? It was almost like…nah, that was impossible, wasn’t it? His memory was far better since he’d become a vampire, he remembered things now that he hadn’t been able to as a human due to the passage of time, like when he was two and he’d fallen off the kitchen counter, breaking his left wrist.

“Hmm...”

“What's wrong, Jiminy?” he glanced at the cricket.

“Well, ya see, what Axel said back there worries me. What could he have meant by, "You may no longer be who you are"?”

“I may no longer be me? How can I be anyone else?” But he could, and he knew it, he could lose himself to the vampire instincts and become nothing more than a bloodthirsty beast. He didn’t think that was what they meant though, they didn’t seem to know what he was, which was good.

Jiminy laughed but there was something nervous in it. “Of course. Still, you can't be too careful.”

“Yep. Feels like just about anything could happen here in Castle...Oblivi…Oblivi…Obliv…”

“Castle Oblivion!” Donald finally finished for Goofy, and Sora hid a snicker.

“Oh, yeah! Now I remember!”

“We'll be okay. Whatever it is they're cooking up; we'll be able to handle it together,” Sora told them, wishing he could be as sure as he sounded.

“'Course we will, like at that creepy castle we explored together, the one with all those weird contraptions,” Goofy agreed, and Sora swallowed.

“Hmm... When was that?” he asked, pushing without looking like it, hopefully.

“Uhh... I can't remember. What was it called?” Goofy’s question had his un-beating heart sinking. “Gawrsh, oh it was, uh... Holla... Holly... Holler... Sorry. I can't remember.”

“Wak! Stop goofing around,” Donald whacked him with his staff.

“Hollow Bastion,” Sora whispered too quietly for them to hear, now scared. How could they ever forget that place?

,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stared at the drawing of four children together, working to insert herself into Sora and Riku’s memories. Something was wrong though, she wasn’t sure what, but something wasn’t working like it should.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Why do you shun the Darkness?”

“Hmph. Come on, I know you heard every word I said to Maleficent,” Riku answered, looking around warily.

“Darkness is your weapon. It is time you learned you must accept it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Stop resisting. Accept the Darkness. You have no choice...” the voice continued and Riku fought back a shiver, it was familiar. He tensed as an aura of Darkness appeared, revealing…Ansem! “...if you are to serve me again!”

“I thought it was you...Ansem,” Riku glared at the being who had possessed him, who had used him to nearly kill Sora multiple times, had played with his head until he had forgotten that Sora was his best friend, not just some rival.

“Oh. You don't seem surprised.”

“All you have been talking about is the Darkness. I can only assume you wanna pull me back in...so you can play puppet master,” Riku shrugged as if unconcerned when in reality he was terrified, he couldn’t go back, not again.

“Clever boy. I knew you'd be the one to most appropriately serve me. And now, surrender to me again.”

“You're crazy! Not a chance!” He yelled, hands balled into fists before he called Soul Eater to hand, slashing at Ansem who absorbed the attack. Riku cried out as he was sent flying back, rolling across the white floor.

“Did you really think you could do me harm? A weakling like you couldn't even defeat Sora… and you had Darkness on your side.”

“Excuse me...for being weak...” Riku grunted as he staggered to his feet.

“You are weak. You need Darkness. Surrender. Bow to Darkness. Bow to me,” Ansem gloated, and Riku glared at him.

Riku growled at his tormentor. “That's not gonna happen!” he would never give in again!

“Only the Darkness can offer to you all of the strength that you will need to save your friends.”

“You're wrong!” a new voice called as a sphere of light floated down and hovered around Riku.

“That voice...” Riku frowned in confusion and then his eyes went wide, hope blooming. “Your Majesty?!”

“That's right! Remember Riku, you're not alone.” The sphere moved closer, fusing into Riku's chest, and he closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the Light. “Listen close. The Light'll never give up on you. You'll always find it, even in the deepest Darkness!”

“I got it.” Riku smiled slightly, he wasn’t alone, he was never alone. The King believed in him. Sora…Sora believed in him, even when he’d given up on himself, Sora had still be looking for any sign he was there. “I won't lose to Darkness. Not today.” He glared at Ansem.

“You think that feeble little Light can save you from the Darkness that I command? You shall feel my Dark powers…in your bones!”

“Give me all you've got. I'll give it right back!” he yelled, lifting his blade.

He dodged Ansem’s first attack, darting in, trying to land a hit. He was shocked to find he was holding his own. He didn’t let himself become distracted though, he had to beat him. He hissed in pain as Ansem scored a hit…in the same place he remembered Sora landing one in that fight back in Hollow Bastion, the one Ansem had shrugged off. He dug out a potion and went on the attack.

“What, that all you got?” he panted, refusing to show weakness, even as Ansem staggered away from him. How long had they been fighting?

“It seems to me that you are intent on resisting the Darkness. All right. Then see it for yourself.” Ansem held out a card and Riku stared at him in confusion. Was he really giving up so soon?

“Huh?”

“This is a card crafted from your memory. Advance through the world it creates and soon, you will understand... Chasing after Light is not the way. It will not give you distance from the Darkness. There is no running from the Darkness,” Ansem answered.

“Don't worry, I'm not running. Give it. I'll enter the world and in the end, if I haven't given in to the Darkness... Then I win.” He didn’t like the sound of how the card was made. How had Ansem done that? And…was making cards all he could do with the memories?

“I have one more gift for you.” Ansem clenched his hand, and a Dark sphere formed inside Riku.

He writhed in pain, clutching his chest, ending up on his knees. “What'd you do?!” he demanded once he could speak again.

“I simply tempered the Darkness that yet remains in your heart.”

“You still think that I'd rely on Darkness?” he snapped, he wouldn’t! He’d seen what that did to him and he would never betray his friends like that again.

“To use it or not is your choice. I'll be waiting, Riku...for you to sense it and yield to the Darkness in your heart!” with that he vanished and Riku stood.

No, Ansem was wrong, he would never give in again. He closed his eyes, thinking of his friends; the King, Sora, Kairi, and…who was she? There’d been another girl…hadn’t there?

_TBC…_


	8. ch8

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 8**

Vexen looked around and then picked up the dropped card, well, wasn’t that interesting. He glanced at Zexion who examined it, looking surprised. “Our intruder?”

“Riku,” he answered. “Somehow he has escaped the Darkness.”

“Well, isn’t that interesting…” he smirked. “I do believe I have the perfect experiment for him to help us with.”

“Oh?”

“It is time we test the next version of the Replicas.” He waved the card and Zexion nodded in understanding.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Naminé has begun her work...Vexen has reported a complication.”

“Complication?” Xemnas glanced at Saïx.

“They have detected the presence of the other boy, the one Ansem took possession of, within the basement levels of the Castle. Axel has reported that Naminé is spreading her work to him as well, as a backup plan.”

“Then much hinges on Castle Oblivion,” he stared out the window at Kingdom Hearts so far above them like a strange moon.

We still have no way to collect hearts ourselves. Number XIII has not gained power over the Keyblade as was intended.”

“And the chamber? Have you found it?”

“No, sir. I would say progress is slow...if we had actually made any.” Saïx left the room, and Xemnas watched him leave before looking back at the ‘moon’.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

With every floor, every battle that wasn’t how he remembered it, Sora got more and more worried. The others were forgetting their journey together and he was terrified they were going to forget him too eventually. So far, he seemed to have kept his feeding from the crazy black coat group, drinking quickly when in a memory room because they didn’t seem to know exactly what happened in there. So maybe they could only watch them in the halls. What if the others forgot he was a vampire? Would they lose the ability to see passed the illusion?

He felt bad for Jiminy, finding his Journal blank, and he would happily help him re-write it once they were safely out of the castle. They just had to find Riku and the King and then they could run. If they still had their skills and memories then between the three of them they should be able to safely get everyone out even from how high up they were getting, right?

“What if...it's more things?” he spoke up, hoping to let them know what was going on without tipping off the bad guys that he wasn’t being affected. If they found out, who knew what they’d do.

“Huh?” Donald looked at him.

“Goofy was telling us about another castle we'd been to... But none of us really remembers it,” he hated lying to them. “Do ya think... Could it be that we don't remember because we're losing our memories?”

“Losing? Our memories?” Donald stared at him in horror.

“Hold on! Remember what that mystery fella said? "In this place to find is to lose, and to lose is to find." It musta been our memories he was talking about losing!” Jiminy announced.

“So if we keep going, we'll lose more... Guess it really is Castle Oblivion.” Who would ever make such a place and why?

“So the higher we go, the more we'll forget? Does that mean everything, and everybody will be forgotten?” Donald asked, and Sora didn’t know what to say.

“Riku and Kairi too...” Sora whispered, the idea he could ever forget them made him feel sick and he was very grateful for vampire memory. He would never forget them, no matter how long he lived.

“Do you want to go back?” Donald offered and it made sense, but if Riku and the King were in the Castle… what if they were being effected? Then it really would be a rescue, with only one person who remembered.

“Don't worry, fellahs! We might forget about where we've been or what things we've seen, but we won't forget who are friends are.”

Sora smiled and just hoped Goofy was right; he didn’t want them all to forget him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Something smells...funny. What's that scent? It's so familiar...” Riku paused, looking around for the scent before gasping silently as he realised exactly what it was...and where it was coming from. “Darkness. It's the smell of Darkness. I can't believe this is happening. The Darkness even seeped into my skin...” the very idea of the Darkness having sunk so much into him made him feel ill, the King had said he didn’t belong to the Darkness, and the fact he’d been stuck behind the door seemed to prove that… so why did the scent have such a hold on him?

_“Don't worry, Riku.”_

“Your Majesty!” he called in relief.

A sphere of light floated down, and it turned into King Mickey... but transparent. They smiled at each other in relief at seeing the other but then Riku’s eyes widened in alarm.

“What happened? I can see...right through you.”

“Funny, huh? I can only send a bit of my power to this place. That's why I've got a request for ya.”

“Request?” He asked warily, was this truly the King? Or was it a trick?

“Listen, Riku. Just because Darkness holds you, don't let go of who you are. You've got to fight the Darkness inside you! It won't be easy to do, I know. But please don't forget. Even in the Darkest Darkness, there's always a little bit of Light,” the King told him, and Riku relaxed, it had to be him, somehow. Ansem would not be saying that to him.

“Light within Darkness...” he whispered.

“You and I have seen it. The far welcoming light inside the door to Darkness... The light of Kingdom Hearts…it will show you the way. Please don't give up. Believe in the Light. That's a request from my heart.”

“Okay... I'll do my best.” He nodded and then managed a smile.

“Trust me. I'll try to find a way to reach you. I'll get there, I promise.” Mickey reached out his hand and Riku tried to shake it, but his hand passed right through Mickey's hand.

“You're an illusion...” Was he? Was he real? Riku didn’t know, there was something about the Castle and it was getting to him, it didn’t help that his heart ached from what Ansem had done too.

“Don't worry. We shook hands in our hearts, remember? We're connected, you and me.”

“Guess we are,” he agreed.

Mickey disappeared and Riku took a deep breath, all he could do was to keep on going. He’d find the way out and then he find Mickey and go home. Sora and Kairi and the other girl would be very worried about him, wouldn’t they? If only he could remember her name!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé knew now, somehow, Sora was resisting her powers while Riku seemed to be beginning to ‘remember’ her. Everyone was effected as they should be, except for Sora. Why? What made him able to resist? Would he…would he still come to save her if he didn’t remember her as a friend? Why could she see so much about him and yet not affect him?

They said she was Kairi’s Nobody but that a part of her came from Sora too, unless…they were wrong? Was it only being Kairi’s Nobody that gave her insight and power over the memories of those that the Princess of Heart called friends?

,,,,,,,,,,

“You seem pretty intrigued by this Sora kid.”

Axel looked up from where they’d been watching. Something about the kids words and behaviour felt…off to him. “Are you telling me you're not, Larxene?”

She giggled at him before looking back at the image of the four. “Haven't decided yet... I think what intrigues me more is what you see in him.”

“There was a time he must have become a Heartless. And if one becomes a Heartless…” Though, they had no proof of that, only the Superior’s word that it must have happened to free the last Princess’ heart from where it had taken sanctuary in the boys’.

“They lose their minds and their feelings... They're consumed by the Darkness,” she recited as if bored. Why she mimicked the emotions she did in the way she did he just didn’t know but it meant working with her was annoying, well as annoying as something could be to someone who couldn’t feel emotions.

“Right. But not Sora. He held on to his feelings, even as a Heartless. And there's only one other man who's been able to do just that.”

“It's the strength of his heart... That's what interests you. Why the Keyblade chose Sora's heart.”

“To unlock the mysteries of the heart. Isn't that the Organization's mission?” he asked, wondering if she’d admit to what her mission in the Castle was, it wasn’t the one she’d been given, he was sure of that. He had the feeling he’d be dealing with a lot of traitors before heading home, not that he had anything to return to. Helping to train Xion was not exactly something he looked forward to, she was creepily blank, more emotionless than the rest of them if that was possible.

They watched them take on two more floors, Axel wishing they could see what happened when they were in the memories as well. The longer it went on, the more he became suspicious that something wasn’t going to plan. Shouldn’t Sora be mentioning Naminé by now? If anything…he seemed to be following cues from the others. Green eyes widened slightly, was it possible Sora was somehow not being affected?

Eventually, Larxene left to have her turn taunting the boy and he continued to watch.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Huh?! What are you supposed to be?” Riku blinked in shock at the sight of…himself? But he wasn’t in one of the rooms so how was that possible?

“Surprised? I guess you should be. After all, I look just like you. I'll tell you what I am. I'm an exact replica of you that Vexen made from your data,” the other him explained, arms crossed, confident smirk in place.

“So you're a fake me.” Okay, so that was maybe the creepiest thing he’d seen so far.

“Not a "fake"! I don't care if you're "real"! You're not better! We share the same body and the same talents. But there is one easy way to tell us apart, though!” it pointed at him. “Unlike you, I fear nothing.”

“Are you calling me a coward?” he asked in shock, was it really?

“You're afraid of the Dark! The Darkness inside you still frightens you, no matter what you say.”

Riku glared at it. He had very good reason to fear the Darkness after everything that had happened, and it had no right to call him a coward!

“But I'M different. I embrace the Darkness. I can make it do whatever I want. So... I can wipe the floor with you!” Its clothing changed, had that been what he looked like? No wonder Sora had briefly looked like he wanted to laugh. How could it have Soul Eater too though?

Riku called his own and the two began to fight, Riku surprised to find them pretty evenly matched, then again it did seem to have his memories. In the end though, he got the upper hand, and the replica was left to collapse to one knee. “Hey, Fake. I thought I heard you say you were gonna wipe the floor with me.”

“Hmph. Don't forget, I'm still new. I'll get stronger and stronger. The next time we fight, you're finished!” It yelled at him and Riku glared back.

“Then let's fight now!” Riku struck the replica's head, but it released Dark energy that flung him backwards.

It laughed as Riku scrambled up. “It's nice having Darkness on my side. You are SO missing out. How could you be scared of something that can be so thrilling?”

“Enough! I know exactly what the Darkness would do to me and I won’t let it, not again!”

“Hmph. So now the coward is playing tough. So long, Real Thing. Hope you don't miss me.” It turned and ran for the next floor and Riku ran after it.

“Come back!” he looked around, but it was gone. “No way. I'm not a coward...” he wasn’t, using the Darkness would let Ansem back in, and even if it didn’t…he’d been messed up when just with Maleficent, he’d forgotten what his friends meant to him, let the Darkness twist his feelings for them. Never again, he just wanted to go home to Kairi, Sora, and Naminé.

,,,,,,,,,

Vexen, Zexion, and Lexaeus waited in the Basement meeting room for the Replica to return. As soon as it entered Vexen turned to it. “So, how was the real thing?”

It sneered, obviously unimpressed. “He's spineless. In no time at all, I'll be better than him.”

“In the meantime, would you be interested in meeting another who's considered a hero?” Vexen suggested, and the Replica regarded him coolly before sneering again.

“You mean Sora. I hear he's somewhere in the castle. You want me to take care of him?” it asked.

“We'll see... Yes... I intend to make good use of you.”

“No worries. The real Riku was nothing. Sora won't be, either. They're no match for me,” it shrugged as if it was obvious.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Whew... Throwing that battle wore me out.”

“Really? It looked to me like you just plain lost,” Axel taunted her.

“How dare you! You don't appreciate the nuances of…”

“An ungainly effort.” A Dark Corridor opened.

“Huh?” She turned to look. “Vexen!”

“How could you be humbled by someone of such limited significance? You shame the Organization,” he sneered.

“Grr...” she growled.

“How can we help you, Vexen? It's not very often we see you topside,” Axel cut in before they could start fighting.

“I came to lend you a hand. You obviously believe this Sora has much potential, but I remain unconvinced he is truly worth such coddling. I think an experiment would show if he really is of any value to us,” Vexen explained.

“Hmph. Well, here we go again. It's just an excuse so you can carry out your little experiments. That's all,” Larxene scoffed.

“I'm a scientist. Experiments are what I do, yes.” Vexen practically rolled his eyes at her.

“Whatever. You can do what you want. But you know, I think testing Sora is just a cover for testing your valet,” Axel waved a hand at him, why not? Saved them dealing with the boy, and let him observe more. He was now becoming positive that Sora was not losing his true memories at all.

“Valet? He's the product of pure research.”

“What he actually is, is a toy,” she taunted.

“Hmph. You should just learn to be quiet,” Vexen glared, and she looked away.

Axel held out the card of Destiny Islands. “A humble gift to my elder. I hope you use it to put on a very good show for us.”

Vexen took the card and smiled as the Replica walked in.

“That card holds the memories of Sora and Riku's home,” Axel explained.

“It's just a card. What good is that?” the Replica asked.

“With a little help from Naminé, you'll have all the real Riku's memories. Maybe we can get her to make you forget you're nothing but a fake. In other words, we'll remake your heart so you can be exactly the same as the real Riku, 'kay?” Larxene explained happily, not that she was anymore capable of feeling emotion then Axel was.

The Replica gasped, looking between them in apparent shock. It really was very realistic. “You want to remake my heart?! The real Riku is a wimp who's afraid of the Dark! What do I want with the heart of a loser?!”

“Any objections, Vexen? After all, you do want to test Sora, don't you?” She looked at the scientist who shrugged slightly, examining the card.

“It must be done,” he agreed.

“How can you? Are you betraying me?!” it asked, and it genuinely sounded betrayed. They could mimic emotion because they remembered what it was like, were the real Riku’s memories that realistic for it?

“I told you I would make good use of you, didn't I?” Vexen smirked.

“No…” It backed away.

“Relax, kiddo. I don't think it's going to hurt that much!” Larxene laughed and Axel smirked, not the best way to get it to cooperate.

“I'll hurt YOU!” It yelled, summoning its weapon to attack her but she knocked it away with a blast of electricity, laughing as it collapsed.

“Stupid little toy! Think you could defeat me? Where would you ever get a thought like that?” She taunted, and they could all see the fear on its face as it struggled to get up. It was near the door, if it could get up then it was possible it could run, but where could it run to in the Castle they controlled?

Axel saw Naminé watching in horror from her chair at the far end of the room. How was she so emotional without a heart?

“But…look on the bright side. Along with everything else in your head, Naminé will erase the memory of me knocking you flat. Instead, she will implant the loveliest little memories you could ever hope for! It's no big deal if they're all lies,” she was still going on even as the Replica cowered before her, the electricity obviously having messed it up enough to keep it on the ground.

“No...” it pleaded as she walked towards it. “NOOO!!!”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stopped, wondering who it would be this time since almost every time they finished with a memory visit they were met by one of the black coat people, but then his eyes widened. “You're... Riku?! What are YOU doing here?” How was it even possible? They’d sealed the door!

“Not happy to see me? Lemme know if I'm getting in the way…ya know, of something that's more important,” Riku snapped, arms crossed, and Sora blinked.

“Huh? I didn't mean that...” he denied, he’d just been completely shocked to find Riku had somehow escaped the Darkness.

“Hmph. Spare the excuses. I bet that you had all but forgotten about me,” Riku sneered angrily and Sora swallowed, hard. He sounded a lot like…he had in Traverse Town and Monstro…

“Are you crazy? C'mon. I came all this way looking for YOU!” Sora told him. Something… something wasn’t right.

“But you're not anymore, right? Now it's only Naminé that you're looking for. You don't care about me. Just like you never cared...at all about her feelings.

“Naminé's...?” Who was Naminé? What was going on with Riku, or…not Riku? Unless his scent had changed since he’d seen him at the door? Was that even possible? He could practically feel Axel and friends watching them, so he’d have to try and fake it.

“Hmph. I knew it. Never even gave it a thought, did you? Just cuz you want to see Naminé… sorry… doesn't go both ways. Tell ya the truth, Naminé doesn't even want to look at your face,” Riku growled at him.

“Why not?!” What did Riku think had happened?

“You should ask your memories...why Naminé disappeared from the Islands. Remember that, and you'd know.”

“Did I... Did I do something? Is it my fault? Riku...” he pushed, hoping Riku would realise the memories were off or something only to stare in horror as he was cloaked in Darkness, the odd outfit forming once again. No…not this again.

“Go home, Sora. I'll care for Naminé. Anyone who goes near her...” he summoned Soul Eater, which meant this really was Riku despite his changed scent. “...goes through me!”

Riku attacked Sora, who blocked the attack with his Keyblade. Their blades clashed

together. “What's…what's wrong with you?! We're supposed to be friends!” he yelled as he moved back, breaking the lock, trying to snap him out of it.

“Please, Sora. Since when have you ever cared about me? Naminé's not the only one who's sick of looking at you. So am I!” Riku jumped backward.

“Riku, stop it!” he begged. Wake up! He couldn’t do this again. He did his best to defend himself, unable to try and hurt Riku, not after watching him fade away, seeing the door close between them. He’d find some way to bring him back to himself, he would!

Riku slipped and Sora couldn’t pull the blow in time, the hilt of his Keyblade hitting Riku in the temple, sending him staggering back. Riku stared at him and then turned, running deeper into the Castle.

“Riku! Please wait!” Sora chased Riku into the Eighth Floor but by the time he entered, Riku was gone. “Riku! Where are you?” there was no sign of him, his scent trail gone cold. It was like he’d just vanished.

“Sora, are you okay?” Goofy called as they caught up.

“Don't worry about me,” he shook his head. “Riku...what happened?” he whispered.

“Hmmm... Sure was strange. Almost like Ansem was back controlling Riku again.”

“But we got rid of Ansem for good.” And he didn’t smell like Ansem this time. No, someone had messed his memory up and was using him. His hand clenched into a fist, he would stop them and get Riku back.

“Then I wonder what is wrong with Riku...”

“Hold on... The king! If he's with Riku, he might be in danger!” Donald looked at Goofy who nodded before both looking to Sora. “Sora...”

“I know... You're thinking Riku isn't your friend... But that's just not true.”

“Ya sure?” Sora whispered.

“Well, I know he said some awful things to you back there... But you gotta remember…we are in Castle Oblivion. Why, folks lose their memory here a little bit at a time. Riku's probably just forgotten that the two of you were such close friends. That's all.”

Sora took a deep breath and nodded, Jiminy was right. Riku had forgotten, somehow focusing on some girl named Naminé.

“But Sora...instead of being sad, we have to figure out a way to help Riku get his memory back. If we all work together, why, we're sure to get you through this. No need to mope,” Jiminy finished.

“Jiminy's right. You shouldn't push your friends away,” Goofy smiled at him, and Sora nodded.

“Yeah. Okay.”

"Sora, do you remember our very first promise?” Donald asked, and Sora looked at him.

“Huh?” the change of subject confusing him.

“Always smile!” Donald and Goofy said in unison, making him smile.

“That was the promise we made to each other the first time we met!” Goofy grinned and Sora nodded. “We promised to never forget to keep smiling!”

“You're right,” Sora agreed and turned to face the next memory. The sooner they got through them, the better. He was just getting sick of no one ever recognising him.

_TBC…_


	9. ch9

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 9**

“Where am I? What is this place?” Riku looked around in confusion, he didn’t recognise his surroundings at all which was strange since every other card had shown him somewhere he’d been.

The streets were paved, buildings rising one to three stories above him, a clock tower rising even higher, and…was that a train passing by? It seemed to be evening, twilight, the sun beginning to set in the distance, but everything was eerily empty and silent, except for the sound of the train.

“You must battle me, against my dark powers!” A voice called and then Ansem appeared in front of him.

Riku glared angrily and summoned his weapon, but then he paused, noticing something, and dropped his guard.

“What's this? Are you giving up? Finally ready to surrender to your fate?” Ansem taunted, and Riku stared at him.

“You're not the true Ansem,” he stared confidently, and Ansem shifted into a more neutral position. “Your scent is different. The Ansem in my heart smells darker, the odour is more foul. But your scent just isn't that; it's not Darkness, it's something else. I finally understand, you're the one who guided me when it started. You came to me pretending to be Ansem. You gave me the card…to make me face the darkness.”

Ansem glowed with a bright yellow aura, and his voice melded with that of another man. “Hm. That is correct.” He nodded and then his appearance changed as well, into someone else wearing red and black, his face covered. “DiZ, or so I am known. You…I've watched you all along.”

“Really. Who are you? And what do you want from me?” Riku asked warily, while he was grateful for the help out of that place, the man obviously wanted something from him.

“For you to choose.”

“Choose?”

“You are a special entity. You exist between light and dark. You stand in the twilight. You will meet with someone you think you know, and then you will choose.”

“Choose what?” he demanded, even as he wondered who DiZ meant.

“You will know soon,” was the annoying answer even as the man turned into a ball of light and flew away.

,,,,,,,,,,

“It’s not working, is it Naminé?” Axel asked and she stiffened, gripping her sketchbook tightly to her chest, proving him right by her reaction. “Sora doesn’t know who you are. He’s good, but I caught the flicker when the Replica said your name. He didn’t know what it was talking about. Now why is that?”

“I…I don’t know. It should be working. Everyone else is being effect, the Replica and the original Riku…Sora’s companions…just not Sora,” she admitted softly.

“Well….isn’t that just interesting. Alright, stop trying with the boy then and focus on Riku. If we can’t use Sora, we can use him and his Replica.” He squeezed her shoulder and she nodded obediently.

“No matter how much I change his memory, Riku will never forget Kairi. Memories of me… more false memories of me will just make his feelings for Kairi even stronger than before. Because... I'm the shadow of Kairi,” she warned, and Axel shrugged, moving away.

“What's your problem with that? That should be your incentive not to screw anything up. Just do a good job rewriting Riku’s heart. Then you can actually be somebody, and no longer just Kairi's shadow. You'll be real in Riku's heart,” Axel told her as he left.

He wasn’t interested in that boy, no, Sora was far more interesting. And if he took out more of the others then that would be very helpful. Saïx had said to kill the traitors, he hadn’t specified who, but Axel knew that everyone in the Castle was a threat to their own plan, although… he wasn’t so sure anymore if that was what his old friend was still working towards. Were they even friends now? They were Nobodies after all. Either way, he’d do it, but he’d let Sora and co go when it was done, there’d be no one left to argue his report and he was of more use out there killing Heartless then under the Superior’s thumb, likely controlled via threats to his friends.

,,,,,,,,

Stupid Sora, what right did he have always trying to get between him and Naminé? Well not this time, he would protect Naminé from anyone and everything. Next time they fought, he would beat him, he would.

He went to Naminé’s room, ignoring the others to make sure she was okay, not seeing the pleased looks that the memories had taken so well in the Replica. The only question was, would they take as well in the real Riku?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Despite not needing sleep, he was exhausted. He sucked down a blood pack, knowing they were about to leave Atlantica. It was weird to appear to be under water but not be in the forms they’d had in that world. Walking through water was a bit off putting. Then again, since he didn’t need to breath anymore, would the magic still change him since he could survive as he was under the water?

He heard Donald squawk and looked at him as he drank. He removed his fangs and cocked his head to the side. “What?”

“What are you doing?” the duck demanded.

“Feeding?” What did he think he was doing?

“Feeding? Sora…is that…blood?” Jiminy asked as he hopped onto his shoulder.

Sora swallowed, heart sinking…they’d forgotten. “You don’t remember?” he asked quietly, and Goofy moved closer.

“Remember what?” he asked, even as Jiminy jumped to Goofy’s shoulder which kind of hurt.

“What happened to me…when She attacked me?” he didn’t know his Sire’s name, didn’t want to, though apparently Jack had known it so Donald and Goofy did…had as well. He wanted nothing to do with her at all.

“Who attacked you?” Goofy asked, alarmed.

“A vampire,” Sora answered, unable to look at them. “She turned me…but you got me away from her, took me to safety. You stayed with me, even when I didn’t recognise you, couldn’t speak, anything. You…you don’t remember any of it? We stayed with Merlin, he used time magic to speed things up, he taught us magic…” Sora trailed off, hugging himself.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy watched Sora hug himself, unable to look at them anymore. He’d thought the things they were forgetting weren’t important…but then how could they forget that? Sora looked younger, ashamed, and scared, and Goofy reached out to him. He’d been a vampire all the time they’d been in the Castle and he hadn’t hurt anyone except the bad guys. Did what he was matter more than who? They’d known before and hadn’t left him so why should it matter now?

“Come here Sora,” Goofy told him firmly but gently, and Sora fell into his arms, clinging to him. “It’s okay, we may not remember it, but we didn’t notice anything different which means ya haven’t changed. You’re still Sora,” he explained.

“I’ve never bitten anyone or anything. Merlin gave me blood packs to drink from. Donald has some of the emergency ones for if I get really hurt, they have an additive that helps me heal quicker. Healing magic’ll seal wounds but not replace lost blood,” Sora explained shakily, and Donald dug through his supplies, sure enough he had some of the packs.

Goofy just held on, everyone ignoring the exit for now. He glanced down and started, Sora’s appearance had changed, black wings emerging from his back. He reached out and carefully touched one, Sora whining softly, leaning more heavily against him. Okay, so Sora had wings and somehow they were normally hidden.

“Is that an illusion?” Donald asked and Sora nodded.

“Merlin did it for me. Only people who know can see what I look like now. Oh, and people like Herc with godly blood and stuff.” He moved back, away from Goofy, head bowed, but then he lifted it, letting them look at him.

“Oh Sora…” Donald whispered.

He looked so different…but the way he bit his lip, despite the fangs, how he shifted nervously, that was all Sora, right? How much about him had they forgotten? And if they’d forgotten important things about Sora, what else had they lost?

“Wait!” Jiminy suddenly called and they all looked at him. “Sora, are you saying you remember?”

“Everything. Vampire’s don’t forget, whatever’s happening isn’t effecting me. I’m sorry for playing along but they watch us except when we’re in these rooms. You’re just forgetting but Riku….I’ve never heard of someone called Naminé before but Riku seems to think she’s our friend. Someone is changing his memory.”

“Are you sure it was really…um…Riku?” Goofy asked. If the Castle was messing with memories, and these rooms were showing memories, then maybe it hadn’t really been him? Cause Riku was…Goofy frowned…Riku was…important to Sora!

“I thought maybe it wasn’t, but his weapon was Riku’s even if his scent is different.”

“Well if Riku is here, maybe they took it off him,” Donald offered.

Sora’s looked hopeful at that. “Maybe…”

Of course they just had to run into a silver haired boy who looked mostly familiar who Sora called Riku again when they left the room, bringing Sora’s hope back down.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku left the latest room, frustrated. It was taking way too long! He had to find the way out and go home, to make sure his friends were okay. He tensed as he spotted someone waiting for him, biting back a sigh, it was becoming way to predictable. 

“That scent... You're another one of those ‘nobodies’,” Riku told the redhead holding a large weapon.

“You've done well thus far. But to possess your powers, and yet fear Darkness... What a waste.”

“I do not fear it!” Riku denied.

“I sense that you do. You're also capable of controlling the Darkness. Cast away your useless fear. Open your heart. Embrace the Darkness,” the stranger told him and Riku called Soul Eater.

“And if I say no?”

“Then you lose both Light and Darkness…and disappear!” he was surrounded by a red and black aura, Riku struggling against the pressure released from it. “I, Lexaeus, will not yield to the frail heart of an infantile coward! Now, stop resisting and let the Darkness in!” he demanded, attacking.

Riku was tired, he didn’t know how long he’d been in the Castle, he had napped a little but hadn’t actually slept or anything. The battle was the hardest yet and in the end they were both exhausted, barely on their feet. Riku gathered his energy for one last attack. “You're finished!” he dashed in to attack.

“Don't mock me!” Lexaeus swiped Riku with his weapon, knocking him to the ceiling. He then fell back to the ground. “You were too much trouble.” Lexaeus walked to Riku, but Riku became enveloped in Darkness, Lexaeus gasping.

Riku picked up Soul Eater and seemed to vanish. Lexaeus froze and dropped his weapon; Riku had slashed right through him. “Too slow,” Riku spoke in a double tone.

“You are the Superior's…” he never finished, starting to fade away. “Forgive me, Zexion. This was a fight I should not have started,” he whispered before fulling fading.

“Heh...” Riku scoffed, taking a step, before collapsing.

_“I see you now...clearly.”_

Riku opened his eyes, he was floating in Darkness. “Huh?” he looked around. “Lexaeus?!” was this a new attack?

“Riku... I can see your heart...” the voice was too familiar, and Riku fought not to panic.

“No...it's not. Darkness this foul could only...only be…”

“That's it, remember me... Let me drift into your heart...”

“Ansem!” he screamed in denial and fear, even as Ansem laughed.

“You called out my name. You have been thinking about me... You're afraid of the Darkness I command. Good... The more you think of me, the closer my return draws. And when I have awoken, I will take hold...” Ansem appeared before him in the Darkness. “Your heart will be mine!”

Ansem held out his hand and tried to grab Riku. Riku struggled to avoid him, movements sluggish, as if something was holding him. There was a flash of light, and Mickey's sphere appeared, giving Riku hope.

“Riku, fight! Don't let him win!” the King called and then the sphere disappeared.

“Your Majesty!” he cried out desperately, and then he saw Mickey, his form transparent, and he guarded Riku with his arms.

“You meddlesome king!” Ansem snarled at Mickey.

With that the black faded and Riku appeared back in the castle. He gasped awake, looking around wildly, but he was alone. “The king... He protected me... Your Majesty, where are you? Please answer!” he called as he got shakily to his feet but there was no response and Riku clutched at his heart. “You're with me, aren't you...” he managed a smile.

Yes, the King and his friends were with him, they always would be. Naminé and Sora would never abandon him, even after everything he’d done. He’d done it all for her after all and Sora would do the same.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi ran her fingers over the drawings on the walls, tracing Sora’s face. She missed him so much, him and…and…she frowned. There was someone else…another boy, wasn’t there? The drawing had a been vandalised? Or had there always been that blurry part? But who would damage their drawing? She could make out an arm, holding a Paopu fruit like they were and there… a face, but it was blurred out. What was going on? She touched the image, she knew him, she did…Ri…ku? What was happening to her? Riku…she knew Riku…she did…didn’t she?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé quickly moved towards where Sora should be, terrified she would be too late. Who knew what Larxene would do once she realised Sora hadn’t forgotten anything and didn’t know Naminé. She couldn’t let him be killed, then again, from what she’d seen, that wouldn’t be as easy as they thought. Through Sora, she had seen places and people she could never have imagines…and she’d seen some horrible things too…including what had happened to him. She knew the truth, but she would never say a word.

She had to tell him though, even if he hated her for it. She had never expected it to happen, didn’t know how it had but it could permanently take nearly everyone he loved from him. Maybe it was something to do with where they were? Or was it that she didn’t fully understand her own powers? How memory worked? It didn’t matter, all that mattered was they had to find the real Riku and reverse what she had done before it was too late.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora was still puzzling over the weird trip back to the Islands, well the memory Play Island anyway. Everyone in it had only said Her, he had assume they meant Kairi but then he’d seen the girl in white and he’d known, she was the girl Riku had been speaking of, Naminé. It had been a very weird meeting considering she acted like they knew each other while he had no clue.

He looked around but there was no sign of Donald, Goofy, or Jiminy. He shouldn’t have rushed ahead when he thought he’d spotted Riku, he hadn’t realised he was moving that fast! He saw someone up ahead and slowed…the girl in white.

“You’re Naminé, aren’t you? The girl Riku was talking about, but how could he know you?” He asked her, keeping what should be a safe distance, but he felt no threat from her.

“Because I went into his memories and…”

“Let ME explain this,” Riku demanded, moving between them. “Plain and simple. Your memory is a train wreck. You're not the one who's meant to protect Naminé. It's supposed to be me! But you and your messed-up memories are always in the way, Sora!” he attacked, forcing Sora to defend himself.

Sora knocked Riku down and then rushed to his side, unable to stand by when he was hurt, ashamed to have been the one to hurt him. “Riku!”

“Want some more?” Riku snarled, firing a blast at Sora, knocking him to the ground.

“Aah!” he rolled, hissing in pain from the flames, thankful for the accessories he was wearing otherwise he’d be healing for a while.

“Sora!” Naminé called out in alarm which made no sense to him, they didn’t know each other! Why would she be worried about him?

Riku had a smile on his face as he walked to Sora…and it wasn’t a nice smile.

“Riku...” he lifted the arm that hadn’t been hit towards him, eyes pleading for Riku to snap out of it.

“Looks like I win,” he gloated, and Sora stared up at him, unable to believe that Riku would actually do it, even when possessed Riku had wrestled enough control to stop the blow.

“Riku, stop!” Naminé yelled at him, moving closer.

“You’re through!” Riku drew Soul Eater back, ready to strike, and Sora tried to get up, but he hurt from the flames, could feel the hunger growing. He didn’t think it’d be a permanently killing blow but it’d probably keep him down for a while and he couldn’t afford that!

“I said STOP!” She screamed.

Sora could only watch as Riku gasped, tensing, before collapsing. “Riku...? Riku! RIKU!” he looked for injuries but couldn’t find any, Riku staring vacantly straight ahead…no…he couldn’t be dead, he couldn’t. Sora forced his aching body to move, to reach out and check for a pulse. He looked at Naminé. “What did you do? What did you do to him?” he snarled, fighting the urge to go for her throat.

Larxene chose that moment to appear, giving him a new target. “Broke his heart,” she laughed. “I'd say more like she smashed it, really,” she gloated.

“Smashed...his heart?! Then...what's gonna... What's gonna happen to Riku?” He shakily touched Riku’s cheek but there was no response.

Larxene laughed, not seeing Sora’s eyes flicker red, the illusion threatening to fail as his rage grew. “Oh, you're so much fun to watch. If it's Riku you're worried about, then don't. Because Riku was never really here.”

“What do you mean?” he demanded, holding Riku to his chest, he felt light to Sora, despite being the taller of them.

“Do you really think I'm just gonna say it? That's too easy! Oh, what to do?”

“Quit the games!” he carefully set Riku (maybe not Riku?) down and stood. “Tell me or I’ll kill you,” he snarled, seeing the shock on her face at his threat. She didn’t answer so he lunged, not bothering with the Keyblade, fist slamming into her stomach at beyond human strength, knocking her to the ground.

“All right,” she coughed, staggering up and away from him, eyes wide in shock, “have it your way, then. I know it'll kill you to hear this, but I think I can live with that. That thing lying there is just a puppet that Vexen made as an experiment. No more than a toy. It's laughable, really. It called you a fake, but IT was a fabrication all along.”

,,,,,,,,,

A new stranger appeared before Riku and he tensed, most of his face hidden by his hair. “The Keyblade master is making his way through our ranks rather swiftly.”

“Keyblade... You mean Sora! Sora is here?!” he demanded. How had they captured both Sora and Naminé? Although Sora seemed to be doing a good job of rescuing himself.

“Yes. Want to see him? But...can you face him?”

“What's that mean?” he demanded.

“The world of Darkness, and Ansem's shadow, still nest within your heart. Do you plan to face Sora like that? Are you not ashamed?”

Riku looked away, even though he knew it proved him right; he was ashamed.

“Sora's fate is to battle the Darkness. He must oppose anyone who hosts the Dark…in other words, it's you. If you don't believe the words I say...” he tossed a card and Riku caught it, “then you had best see the truth with your own eyes.”

“This card! This is our…” he stared at the image, it was their what?

“Yes, it is your home.” With that the man vanished.

Riku looked at the card, he took a deep breath, hesitated, but then held it up to the door. He stepped onto warm sand and it felt vaguely familiar, moving automatically to sit on a bent tree, though he wasn’t sure why, and looked out to sea. “Is this my home? It feels… familiar.” Startled, he touched his cheek to find a tear there.

Riku got off the tree and looked around, three teens in the distance. They looked familiar, he knew them, didn’t he? “Hey!” he called but they didn’t react. He ran across the bridge and then down towards the dock. “What's with you guys? I don't think I've ever seen the three of you so quiet,” the words just popped into his head when he saw them. They looked at him but didn’t respond and he just knew that was wrong, even if he couldn’t quite recall who they were. “What, is there something on my face? Guys?!”

The three vanished and he stumbled back in shock. What was going on? Wait…where were Naminé and Sora? Riku ran back to the weird tree but then he noticed Naminé behind him on the bridge.

“Naminé... Hey, Naminé. Are you…” he reached out as she vanished. “Ah... No!” he cried out in denial.

“Surely you knew this would happen.”

Riku spun to face the man, glaring.

“You've been to a number of worlds in your memory before this one. And in those worlds, you met only Dark beings. That's all that's left in your heart: Dark memories. Your memories of home are gone…each and every one.”

“That's a lie! I remember everyone from home! Naminé and Sora, and…and the others too! They're my...my...” he paused for a moment and looked down, “my closest friends...” Even if he couldn’t remember their names at the moment or what their home was called.

“And who threw away those friends? Maybe it's your own actions that you've forgotten. You destroyed your home!”

There was a flash of Darkness, and the islands were suddenly reduced to a single landmass. Riku gasped and observed his surroundings. “This is...that night!” he remembered that night, how could he ever forget it! He just…didn’t remember the Islands themselves before it.

“All of the islands you grew up on were sundered, scattered. Many hearts were forever lost to the Darkness. Because of what YOU did!” He pointed over to a projection of Riku at the edge of the island. “You hated being an islander, so you opened the door to Darkness and destroyed the islands. It was YOU! You were pulled into the Darkness then, and now you belong to the Darkness.”

Riku clutched his heart and looked ahead in horror. No…it couldn’t be…he didn’t belong in Darkness anymore, he didn’t!

“You should look…look at what you truly are!” The projection of Riku transformed into a Darkside Heartless.

“This...this can't be who I really am!” Riku denied, stumbling back but the stranger was gone. He called Soul Eater to hand and readied himself to fight, eventually destroying the Darkside.

He panted and looked around the island. He noticed someone looking out to the dark sea on the edge of the island and felt a surge of relief as recognition came, Sora, it was Sora. “Sora?! Sora!” Riku walked over to Sora. “Sora, it's me…”

Sora turned around and attacked Riku with his Keyblade, forcing him to jump backward and dodge.

“What?!”

Sora jumped at Riku and tried to strike him, but Riku blocked the attack, their blades clashing.

“Stop it, Sora! Don't you recognize me?” he pleaded, what was wrong with him?

“Yeah, I recognize you,” Sora answered softly, before his expression hardened. “I can see exactly what you've become!” he yelled. Sora jumped back and fired an attack of light, knocking Riku onto his back.

He gasped in pain, a hand shakily rising to press to his chest. It hurt…why did the Light hurt?

“How can the Light hurt you?” Sora sounded heartbroken as he asked, and Riku forced his eyes open, lifting his head to look at him. “Riku... Have you really become a creature of the Dark?” he asked and then shook his head even as Riku reached out with his other hand. 

“Sora…please,” he choked out.

“You're not Riku anymore... You're just a pawn of the Darkness. So be it. It's time for you to face the Light!” Sora raised his Keyblade and created a sphere, engulfing everything in light.

“Sora!” he cried out for help as the sphere swallowed him.

Everything faded away until Riku was floating in a white void. “I'm...fading... Fading away...into the light.”

“You won't fade,” a soft voice called, and then Naminé appeared in front of him as he forced his eyes open. “You can't fade. There's no power that can defeat you, not the light, not the Dark. So don't run from the light…and don't fear the Darkness. Because both will make you stronger.”

“Make me stronger? Darkness too?” He asked, confused and still so tired. Sora…Sora had tried to kill him, had given up on him…

“Yes. Strength that's yours. The Darkness inside your heart, it's vast and it's deep...but if you can truly stare into it and never try to look away, you won't be afraid of anything again,” she explained gently.

“All this time I've tried to push the Darkness away…”

“You've just got to remember to be brave. Know that the Darkness is there and don't give in. If you do that, you will gain strength, the kind that's unlike any other. You'll be able to escape the deepest Darkness…” she trailed off and he finished for her.

“and I'll be able to see through the brightest light…”

“Follow the Darkness. It'll show you the way to your friends.”

“Can I face them?”

“You don't want to?” She asked curiously.

“You know I do. Of course. Naminé…I’m sorry, for everything,” he had to tell her, even if he wasn’t sure she was real. His words seemed to make her sad, but she nodded and then disappeared. “And I will! With my strength…My Dark strength!” Darkness swallowed him. “Darkness!” he called, feeling his clothing change even as he summoned Soul Eater. He slashed the air and was released from the void.

Back on the island, Riku slashed through Sora.

“Impossible!” Sora staggered, his voice changing to the strangers even as he fell to the ground. “How is it that you found me when you were there in the light?”

“You reek of Darkness. Even the light can't block the smell,” Riku answered as the other gasped. “I guess I followed the Darkness right to you.”

“This is absurd... Then I shall make you see... That your hopes are nothing…nothing but a mere illusion!” he attacked but it was a relatively easy fight between his new acceptance of his powers and the fact the man was already injured. “After all your protests, you're still like us, on the side of Darkness.”

“I know who I am,” Riku stated firmly.

“Do you really?” he chuckled weakly, as if he knew something Riku didn’t. “When did that happen? You were always terrified of the Dark before…”

“Not anymore!” Riku slashed through him, watching him fade away.

Riku turned away as the island faded as well. Sora hadn’t attacked him; it had been nothing more than an illusion. There was still the chance that Sora would accept him. He just had to find him. Sora would understand…wouldn’t he? He was…Riku frowned, Sora was…his best…friend? Or was that Naminé?

_TBC…_


	10. ch10

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_Last chapter dealing with COM. Won’t be much from Days showing up considering the lack of Roxas._

**Chapter 10**

“Not Riku? A fake?!” Sora scented the air, with her hood down he could detect her scent and he couldn’t pick up a lie, calming some. If this wasn’t Riku then Riku might be okay.

“Fake in every possible way. It was only finished recently. How could it remember anything?” She picked him up and Sora tensed, unsure. “You get it? Its memories with Naminé were just planted, not real.” She threw him at the wall and Sora watched his body tumble bonelessly, as if dead. “Yup. That means, all this time, it's been picking fights with you over memories that were counterfeit, trumped up, and completely bogus. Isn't that the truth, Naminé?”

She walked over to the girl who glanced at Sora, obviously scared. “Oh, so cute...but behind this little face, you do awful things.”

Naminé looked away and Sora frowned.

“Naminé...” was it really not Riku? She glanced at him again and nodded slightly.

“You're so stupid. Don't you get it now? That's what Naminé's powers are about! She can enter, rearrange, and even create new memories of anything, even things that never happened. The girl you've been trying to protect all this time is really a manipulative witch who shackles people's hearts!”

Sora looked at the blond and laughed in her face. “Then I guess her powers aren’t all that great. Other than what Riku, or not Riku said, I’ve never heard of Naminé. My best friends are Riku and Kairi, always have been. Sorry but whatever game you’re playing, I’m not interested. Where’s the real Riku?”

Larxene stared at him in shock. “What?”

“My memories haven’t been altered. The others know what’s been happening, you can’t watch us in the memory rooms, I’ve just been following their lead and playing along.”

“No, no, no! Binding you in the chains of your own memory was central to our trap. So close to it… we were almost there. This was our only chance to turn the Keyblade master into our puppet, but…That jerk Axel…he used Naminé to betray us!” she ranted, summoning her knives, and Sora glared, pushing slowly to his feet. “So now, I'm left with no choice but to eliminate you!”

“You'll pay...” he growled, summoning the Keyblade and thrusting his hand into his pocket, swiftly attaching the winged pumpkin keychain, grinning as the blade changed. He’d been using the basic Kingdom Keyblade to keep up appearances, but he didn’t have to anymore.

Larxene stepped forward and Naminé rushed in between them, spreading her arms out to protect him, surprising Sora. “Don't!”

“Huh? It's a little late for the witch to grow a conscience. Last time I checked YOU'RE the one who fooled around with the memories of everyone around him, creating this mess. You were meant to change his too but failed!”

“I know, but…”

“I should tell you that I'm in an EXTREMELY foul mood. Thanks to you, all our plans are ruined!” Larxene knocked her away.

“Naminé!” he called, seeing her land by Riku. He may not know her, but he could tell she was trying to do the right thing now.

“What's this? Are you upset?” she giggled. “And you don't even actually know her!”

“Maybe not. But she’s trying to do the right thing now, and that’s good enough for me.”

“What?” she stared at him in confusion.

Sora took a deep breath, slipping into a fighting stance despite the lingering pain from the flames. That was one vampire weakness he really wished was a myth. It wouldn’t kill him, but dead flesh burned even better than living.

“Maybe she did mess with everyone’s memory, but she still came to me to warn me, she stopped this Riku from killing me. For that, I’ll protect her, especially from you!”

“Hmph. You're such an idiot. Must you insist on playing the hero? Whatever. If that's the way you want it... You're going down alone!”

Goofy's shield appeared and flew past Larxene, distracting her as Goofy ran in front of Sora, protecting him. Donald cast Curaga on Sora, thankfully ending the pain, and joined Goofy as a living shield.

“Not if we can stop you!” Donald told her.

“Donald! Goofy! You found me!” he grinned tiredly.

“Of course we did. We were worried about you!” Goofy glanced back, grinning at him.

“And we promised! We promised that we would protect you!”

Sora smiled as they nodded at him. To have them there and defending him, despite how much they’d forgotten and for them having just learnt what he was…it made his dead heart soar.

“You won't ever be alone. It's always been the three of us and we stick together...”

“And that is how it's going to stay!” Donald finished.

“Okay... Have it your way. More pain for you means more fun for me!” She sneered.

The three of them moved, fighting as easily together as they ever had, and she didn’t stand a chance against them.

Larxene staggered away, panting. “No... No! I refuse to lose to such a bunch of losers!” she denied but she was already fading away. “I think I'm...I'm fading?! No, this isn't...the way I... I won't... ALLOW...” They watched as Larxene faded away into Darkness.

Sora turned away and walked over to Naminé, looking down at her and the seemingly dead Riku. “It really isn’t him?” he asked shakily, and she shook her head.

“He’s here, in the basement levels. I’m so sorry Sora, his memory…it’s fading fast now. You have to find him soon, before it’s too late.”

Sora nodded, he would find Riku and they’d find a way to fix his memory. “What about him?” he pointed at the...Replica?

“I don’t know,” she admitted.

“We need to finish this, stay here Naminé. We can work things out once this is over.” He knew those ahead wouldn’t just let him backtrack to find Riku before facing them which meant he had to get through whatever was coming next fast.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku slid down the wall, breathing heavily, he was so tired… maybe he could close his eyes for a few minutes. He had to be getting close, right? He would find Naminé and save her, then they’d go home see…their friend…what was his name? He knew it, he did…So…ra?

,,,,,,,,,

“You have some nerve to show your treasonous face around here...some nerve indeed…” Marluxia glared at him but it didn’t look all that threatening. Honestly, the whole long pink hair thing did not help either.

“Treasonous? I don't know what you could possibly be talking about,” Axel shrugged.

“Why let Naminé go? If it weren't for your needless meddling we could have turned the Keyblade master to come and serve us.”

“Ohh, right, your big plan. You use Naminé to rewrite Sora's memory piece by little piece and he turns into her total puppet. Then, using Naminé and Sora together, you and Larxene overthrow the Organization. Am I right? I would say that YOU are the traitor, Marluxia. Besides, I didn’t need to ruin your plan, it never worked! Dear Sora was faking the memory loss, just playing along to work things out. You’d have more luck with Riku, real or Replica, at least it worked on them,” Axel smirked.

“Since when were you suspicious of us?”

“Do either one of us have the heart to believe anyone?” he pressed a hand to his chest mockingly.

“So you only eliminated Vexen to obtain proof of our plan?” Marluxia demanded.

“That, I didn't want to do, but it was your order.” He summoned his chakrams.

“Oh...”

“Remember the order: "You must eliminate the traitor." I always follow orders, Marluxia. Larxene paid the price for disloyalty when she disappeared... You must do the same!”

Axel slashed at Marluxia with his chakrams, but he dodged the attack. Axel then threw his chakrams at Marluxia, who blocked them with his scythe. They flew back and Axel caught them. “The Organization's betrayed. In that name, I will annihilate you.”

“That line's not you.”

“Well, had to try it once, you know,” he offered, before rushing and trying to slash Marluxia who evaded.

Marluxia tried to slash Axel, but he jumped out of the way. He proceeded to slash an energy wave out of his scythe and fire it at Axel, who struggled to block it with his chakrams, making Marluxia laugh. He waved his hand to materialize something, which made Axel snicker; Naminé was held in front of Marluxia, frozen in fear.

“Is that your shield? Won't do you any good, I'm afraid.”

“I wonder,” Marluxia smirked slightly, looking passed Axel. “Are you listening, Sora?”

Sora, Donald, and Goofy appeared from the door behind Axel.

“Oh?” he glanced at them out of the corner of his eye, he was sure it hadn’t worked on the boy, so who would he side with?

“Axel says he's willing to harm Naminé to get me. You won't let that happen, will you?”

In response the trio readied their weapons and Sora looked at Axel, studying him.

“Oh, come now. You're Marluxia's puppet already?” Axel groaned, and blue eyes blinked.

“We need her alive to fix their memories,” the teen said, clearing things up for Axel.

“I'd really rather not fight you... But I can't dishonour the Organization, now, can I?” Axel told him, and Sora stepped back slightly.

“We could fight him together, without hurting Naminé,” he offered, and Axel laughed, he thought if he could feel, he’d like Sora. Kid certainly had guts to suggest that.

He had no orders concerning the Keyblade Master should Naminé fail to alter his memories so technically working together wasn’t against orders. “Well, why not?”

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku walked into another empty hallway, where was everyone? He hadn’t seen anyone since the guy who had pretended to be…So…his friend? He…he couldn’t remember his name. Naminé, he remembered Naminé, he had to save her, even if he didn’t remember what he needed to save her from anymore.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora looked at Axel, wondering what he’d do now. Green eyes met his and the man smirked.

“You are one interesting kid, Sora. Maybe you were worth saving.”

“What?” Worth saving? Did he mean in the fight, or something else?

“See ya around,” he offered a sarcastic salute and vanished.

“Axel!” He yelled but the man was gone. They left the room and Sora locked it with his Keyblade, just to be safe. “You okay, Riku?” he asked when he saw the Replica, guarding Naminé.

“Not Riku. I'm a fake. I can't remember why I was created or where or when... All that's inside of me…is time with you and Naminé. But I know those memories are not real,” he answered stiffly, and Sora took a step towards him, but he backed away.

“Gee, Naminé, can't you use your magic to put his memory back to normal?” Goofy suggested.

“Well, I…”

“It's all right. I'll deal,” he looked them over and then turned to walk away.

“Wait!” Sora called, and he paused. “Who cares if someone created you? You are you and nobody else. You have your own heart inside you. Those feelings and memories are yours and yours alone. They're special!”

He turned enough to look at Sora. “Sora, you're a good guy. I don't have to be real to see how real your feelings are. That's good enough,” a small smile touched his lips and then he was gone.

“Riku! Riku...” Sora called, but he didn’t respond or come back, and Sora sighed, wishing he could do more to help him. He took a deep breath, right, now they needed to fix the guys memories, and the original Riku’s too.

“Can you put our memories back?” Obviously Donald had the same thought.

“Yes. Not remembering something doesn't really mean that it's gone,” she told them with a small, nervous, smile. Her scent was pleasant, and it reminded him…of Kairi. She looked a lot like her too which was strange.

“What d'ya mean?” Goofy’s question brought him back to the conversation.

“When you remember one thing, that leads to remembering another and then another and then another. Our memories are connected. Many pieces are linked together like they're in a chain that makes up each of us. I don't actually erase any memories…just take apart the links and rearrange them. You still have all your memories.”

Well, that was a relief. The idea of being the only one who truly remembered scared Sora.

Jiminy popped out, startling him. “So you can put 'em back together?”

“Yes, but first, I have to undo the chains of the memories I made on my own. After I've done that, I have to gather up the memories scattered across each of your hearts and then reconnect them. It might take some time. But I think it might work. No…it will work. I'm sure.”

“All right. What about Riku? You said before he’s in the basement levels and that we have to find him before it’s too late, too late for what?” Sora asked, but then Donald spoke up.

“Oh... Wait a second! You said you had to undo the links of the memories you made. But that means…”

“Yes. You won't be able to remember anything about what happened here,” Naminé told him.

“But my memories weren’t effected so I should still remember, right?” Sora asked, and she nodded.

“You have a choice; you can lose your memories of this castle and reclaim your old ones...or keep your memories here and give up the memories that you've lost.”

“Do we have to...to choose?” Goofy asked.

“Yes,” she nodded. Naminé lead them to a room containing a giant pod.

“To remember again, we have to sleep in that?” Donald stared at it suspiciously.

“Yes. It's going to take a little time, but I'll take care of you,” she promised.

“And I’ll be here too,” Sora promised. “I won’t leave you.”

“Gawrsh, when we wake up, we won't remember who you are anymore...”

“But how are we gonna thank you?”

“Don't worry about that! I'll just make a big note in my journal. And it will say, ‘Thank Naminé’.”

“And I’ll tell you why,” Sora agreed. The thought of being alone while they slept to regain their memories scared him, but there was no other way.

“Oh, good. That makes me feel better,” Donald admitted, turning to hug Sora, who hugged him back tightly.

“Well, good night then, Sora, Naminé,” Goofy waved and headed for one of the pods.

Sora watched as they went inside and fell asleep. “Do you know exactly where Riku is?” he asked, and she shook her head. “It’s okay, I’ll find him.”

He left the room and leant against the wall, hands trembling. He closed his eyes, reaching out with his heart, and then he headed down.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku ran through the empty halls, he hadn’t seen anyone since…since when? The whole place was silent...empty…creepy. Riku couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen anyone else. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was scared, he didn’t even know where he was. He needed to find them! But…who were they? Why couldn’t he remember?

He was finally out of the basement when he heard movement, readying for a fight.

“Riku!” a voice called, and he turned to stare, he was…familiar? He knew him, he was…So…ra? He studied the running figure hard, looking for anything that would give away if he was an illusion, though he didn’t know why that might be. Sora slowed to a stop just out of reach, breathing hard. “Riku?” he asked, and Riku licked his lips nervously.

“Sora? Is…is it really you?” he asked, and Sora broke into a grin that felt so familiar.

“Riku!” he reached for him, and Riku blinked but didn’t move. Sora wrapped around him tightly, clinging to him, and he heard a sob. He wrapped his own arms around Sora in return, his heart pounding. “I looked everywhere for you,” Sora whispered.

Riku pressed his face into brown spikes, inhaling Sora’ scent. He smelt like…home? “You’re real.” He couldn’t remember anything about the boy hugging him but obviously he was important, or he wouldn’t have managed to remember his name, right?

“I’m real, I’m here,” Sora promised. He pulled back enough to look up at Riku. “Are you okay?”

Riku hesitated. “I…I can’t remember. Where are we?” he asked, and Sora’s eyes went wide.

“Oh,” he whispered. “You remember me though.”

“Not really,” he admitted, seeing his face fall. “You’re Sora…I just can’t…”

“You’re my best friend Riku. We got separated and there’s something in this place that can mess with memories. There’s a way to fix it but you need to come with me, okay?”

“Sora?”

“It’ll be okay Riku, I promise. Let’s go see Naminé, okay?” he held his hand out and Riku stared at him but then took it. He wanted so much to believe this was Sora, but he didn’t know how much he could trust his own senses wherever they were. Sora led him higher and higher until they entered a room with a strange white flower pod thing and…

“Naminé!” he called in relief at recognising someone, and she smiled sadly at him. They both looked sad… “What’s going on? What’s wrong?” he asked, backing away, was this a trap? Was it not really them? But why would someone want to trap him? He was nobody important.

Sora held his hands up, eyes pleading, and Riku froze. “Riku please, just listen. You’re safe, it’s me, I promise. I’d never hurt you or let someone hurt you,” Sora told him, reaching for his hand. “This is real.”

“Sora is right Riku, this is real. But I am sorry because…in a way it is also a lie.”

“I don’t understand,” he stared at her in confusion.

“I’m sorry Riku, for everything. It's my fault, after all. I took the people and memories that were inside Sora's heart...and little by little, I tried to replace them with false memories. It worked, on everyone except Sora, he is immune. Donald, Goofy, Jiminy… you...the Replica…you all had your memories altered or erased. Marluxia…he threatened… but I still shouldn’t have done it. They had me focus on you when it started becoming obvious it wasn’t working as planned with Sora.”

“I don’t understand.” Riku stared at her, he didn’t know any of those names, did he? “I can’t remember… who are you?”

“Naminé?” the boy…Sora? He sounded really worried.

“It’s still happening!” the girl in white said. “Once the memory loss reaches a certain stage…it doesn’t need prompting to continue. His memories are unravelling all on their own now. We need to get him into the pod quickly.”

“Why? What happens if he looses everything?” the boy demanded and Riku looked down to find they were holding hands.

“If his memories are erased…then his heart will be destroyed.”

“Destroyed?” the boy sounded terrified for some reason. Why?

“If Riku’s heart is destroyed, then he’ll be nothing but an empty shell. His heart will no longer be able to feel or to care,” she explained.

He didn’t understand, but that didn’t sound good, did it?

She looked at Riku then. “I can fix your memories, but it will take time. You’ll need to sleep, like the others already are,” she pointed and Riku saw the two occupied pods.

“I…” he looked at them both, could he trust them? A hand pressed gently to his chest and he met sad blue eyes, gasping as he felt a warmth…in his heart.

“I’ll keep you all safe, promise. I’ll be right here when you wake up and then we’ll go home, like I promised Kairi. I know you’re scared and confused Riku, but you can trust me. You’re my best friend.

He was so confused…but for some reason he trusted the boy and he seemed to trust her so maybe he could trust them both to…what were they doing? Gentle arms wrapped around him and he found himself leaning into the hold.

“There’s something else I can do for you too while you sleep,” she said, and Riku looked at her again.

“What?”

“It's your Darkness. In your heart there is Darkness, and in that Darkness is Ansem. He may be at bay for now…but eventually he'll wake, and he will take over you just like he did before. But I have powers you can use. With my powers, I can put a tight lock on your heart. That way, Ansem could never come out from inside you,” she explained, but he didn’t understand. Who was Ansem? Darkness?

“Riku?” the boy asked, and he blinked, Riku? Who was Riku? “Naminé!”

“We’re out of time,” she said, motioning to the big white thing. “Riku, you need to go inside. It won’t hurt, you’ll just go to sleep and when you wake up you’ll remember.”

“Remember?” he stared in confusion, it…it was hard to think. A hand wrapped around his and began guiding him forward.

“Don’t sleep too long, ‘kay? You’ll turn into me,” the boy said but the words made no sense to him anymore, just noises.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi walked down the street on her way home, school bag over one shoulder. She’d left Selphie a block back since her house was down that street. She missed walking the rest of the way with Sora and really hoped he’d be home soon, his parents were getting very worried. Search parties had been sent out but had found nothing. She slowed as she passed a house, looking at it, there was something…she almost felt like there should be someone else walking with her…but there were no kids who lived in that house. Just a married couple who had lived there for as long as she’d been on the Islands. So why did something tell her she should be waving goodbye to a friend?

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora steadied Riku as he stumbled, Riku didn’t stumble! He looked at his face, seeing the confusion there, and he gave up helping him to the pod, scooping him up in his arms and leaping up into it easily. He carefully set Riku down, his best friend not moving, just staring blankly at him, no recognition of anything in his eyes.

“Goodnight Riku,” he whispered, and then pressed his lips to Riku’s for a second before leaving him there.

The pod slowly closed around Riku, his body lifting off the floor to float limply within. Sora watched as Riku fell asleep, trying not to cry. He reached out and pressed his hand to the cold material it was made from. “Sweet dreams,” he choked out before glancing at her. “This will work, right?”

“Yes,” a hesitant hand rested on his shoulder. “His heart is intact,” she promised, “we got him in there just in time. It will take longer now, but nothing can harm him inside there. I don’t understand though… how you can remember him still. The memory unchaining will have removed the memories of Riku from everyone. Then again, it didn’t work on you at all…because of what you are?”

What he was? Before he could ask her to explain what she meant he heard something. Sora spun at the sound of footsteps, Keyblade drawn, putting himself between Naminé, the pod, and danger, but then blinked. “King Mickey?”

“Sora!” The King called in relief, smiling at him, and Sora smiled back.

His gaze moved to the stranger with the King, studying him, taking in his scent. Darkness lingered around him but not like the people from the Castle.

“Oh, Sora, this is DiZ, he helped us…me escape from the Realm of Darkness,” he looked over at the pod and frowned, moving closer. “Who is that? Are they okay?”

“You…don’t recognise him?” Sora asked and then remembered what Naminé had said, everyone would have forgotten Riku. “It’s Riku, Your Majesty. He was with you when we closed the Door. He helped by pulling it shut while Donald, Goofy, and I pushed from the outside. You don’t remember him at all?” Sora pushed and the King frowned, moving closer.

“Well…there is…something. What happened?”

Sora glanced at Naminé and they began explaining everything that had happened in the Castle, Naminé explaining more about the people they’d been fighting; Organisation XIII? That did not sound good at all.

“This Castle is too useful to the Organisation. We should move this operation to my base,” DiZ told them.

Once, Sora would have happily accepted that, but he was learning that not everyone who appeared helpful was. “Why?” he asked, all senses focused on the man, looking for any lies.

“To stop the Organisation from succeeding will need more than just your skills. If this Riku can fight too and the Organisation has already shown interest in him, he will be an asset.”

Well, that was cold, but the truth as far as he could sense. He eyed the man as he went to look at the pods and how they worked, keeping his senses on him even as he turned to the King. “Do you know him?”

“Well, I'm not sure. Gotta feelin' that I've met him...somewhere...”

Well, that was comforting. “Hey. Who are you?” Sora called, and DiZ glanced at him.

“I could be nobody or anybody. It is up to you whether you choose to believe in me or not.”

“Could you be anymore cryptic?” Sora grumbled; arms crossed.

“Sora, you will need to continue your work in dealing with the Heartless and learning more of the Organisations plans. You will need this,” DiZ tossed something and Sora caught it easily.

He let the black fabric slip through his fingers, staring at the coat even as Mickey caught one as well. “One of their coats?”

“The Organization will pursue you. Like a pack of hunting dogs, they will sneak up on you if they sense your presence. However…this cloak that is worn by Nobodies will render their eyes and noses useless. The ears, not so... They wear this to give themselves protection from being devoured by darkness. Is it clear? Even the Organization cannot rule the darkness,” the man explained.

“Okay…but why would we need them?”

“You have no ship; how did you plan on leaving this place?”

“Uhm…guess I hadn’t considered that. I promised them I’d stay and keep them safe.”

“They will be safest if you are travelling the Worlds. Naminé can open Corridors of Darkness for you to travel through and the coat will protect you.”

Sora glanced at her and she watched DiZ nervously but nodded at Sora. The idea of travelling alone was not something he liked but if they would be safer with him out there leading the Organisation on a wild goose chase, then he’d do it. He’d need to figure out where Merlin had ended up when the Worlds were restored, see if he could get a new ship off Cid maybe. “Okay.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The entire team sent to Castle Oblivion had been destroyed, all but Axel. The whole experiment apparently ruined by the whole team turning traitor. They had at least collected more data to add to ‘Xion’, making it more useful and surprisingly, she had begun to take on the appearance of a person rather than the unformed puppet. Surprisingly, she did not look at all like Sora or even Riku, not even a female version of one of them. No…her appearance seemed more similar to the Princess.

The extra data from Riku had sharpened her fighting skills but didn’t seem to have influenced her otherwise. They were hoping the mixture of information would allow her to manifest a Keyblade. Axel had admitted the plan had failed, Naminé not strong enough to effect Sora’s memory, which meant that he would be suspicious of anything any of their members said, making him harder to manipulate. Then again…he was a rather simple child, so perhaps it wouldn’t be all that hard.

They needed more recruits but what would be the best method?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DiZ watched the boy as they continued working to get everything set up in the basement of the old mansion on the outskirts of Twilight Town. The pods had been safely installed and Naminé had begun working to restore their memories. He had no time for any Nobody, but for the moment she was necessary and…he did not think the Keyblade wielder would allow him to end her ‘existence’.

The boy was not what he had expected from the intelligence he had found on him. Then again, his travelling companions and best friend were all asleep and from the sound of it, the boy Riku had almost had his heart destroyed before they could get him into his pod. That would likely dampen anyone’s spirits.

Once everything was set up fully, both he and the King would be leaving although they would likely return to check on their progress. Restoring the boy’s memory would be especially difficult and time consuming considering he had lost everything but Naminé remained sure she could do it.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared at the pod where Riku slept, the room empty. He was wearing the coat with the hood down, ready to leave, but he couldn’t without checking on the three of them. He’d saved Riku for last since his pod was in a separate room. He looked so peaceful just floating there.

“I have to leave for a while Riku, but I’ll come back and check on you. Not that you’ll notice I’m gone. I wish…I could still sleep, it’d make the time pass faster anyway. I’m going to try and find a ship so I can travel better, either that or see if there’s a way I can make those corridor things, vampires are ‘Dark’ creatures after all. Or maybe Merlin knows another way. I have so much to tell you when you wake up, you and Kairi both. I just hope…”

“They won’t turn their backs on you,” a soft voice spoke, and he spun around, eyes wide.

“Naminé…I…”

“I know Sora,” she smiled at him. “I couldn’t change your memories but…I could see many of them. I know what happened to you and I think you’re right, you might be able to open a corridor yourself with practice.”

“You’re not…scared of me?” he asked, and she shook her head.

“I’m a Nobody, are you scared of me?” she countered, and he laughed.

“Right, good point. Though you don’t drink blood.”

“True. Sora, I’m Kairi’s Nobody, so when I say they won’t turn their backs on you, I have a little more insight then most, even if I don’t have her memories.”

Sora stared at her in shock, she was Kairi’s… but Kairi had never been a Heartless! No…but she had lost her heart, it had hidden in him, and then he’d used that Keyblade to free it, had that been what had created Naminé? “You look a lot like her,” he admitted, it explained why they smelt alike too.

“Sora…what I offered Riku, he never got the chance to answer. Can you answer for him? Should I lock his Darkness and Ansem away?”

“What would that do to him?” He asked warily because there had to be a catch.

“He’d be as he was before,” she answered, and he frowned in confusion before his eyes widened.

“You mean, he’d forget?”

She nodded, staring at the pod.

Sora placed his hand against it, closing his eyes, wishing there was some way for Riku to tell him how to answer. “I..I don’t think he would. Riku’s never run from trouble, he faces it. He’ll face this too and beat it.”

“Alright,” she nodded, smiling at him, and Sora smiled back.

“Guess this is goodbye for a while.”

“Be careful.”

“I will,” he promised as they left the room, glancing back once more before joining Mickey and DiZ. He didn’t like the man and he could tell he wasn’t being totally honest about everything, but they needed him at the moment.

“Ready Sora?” the King asked, and he nodded.

Naminé held her hand out, opening a Corridor, and Sora pulled his hood up, took a deep breath and stepped through, focusing on Hollow Bastion since that was the last place he’d seen Leon’s group, it had been their home so hopefully they’d all been returned there, including Merlin.

_TBC…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the whole lose all his memories and his heart being destroyed from the argument between Sora, Naminé, and Marluxia over her finishing wiping Sora’s memories. For poor Riku, it was seconds away from reaching that point.
> 
> So Xion is made more of a combo of info gathered from both Sora and Riku at this point, rather than just Sora.


	11. ch11

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 11**

Axel stood in his room, looking out the window. Back home finally… did he do the right thing in letting that Sora kid and Naminé go? Too late to second guess himself now. He glanced over as Saïx walked in without even bothering to knock.

“Why didn't you report in?”

Axel turned around, leaning against the window sill. “Oh, good to see you, too. You're welcome, thanks for the kind words.”

“I'm told Naminé has gone missing,” his old friend stared at him, and Axel shrugged.

“There one minute, gone the next. I don't know how she got out.” Which was sort of true, he didn’t know how she had left the Castle once he had left himself, but he was pretty sure it was with Sora.

“You searched every room, I expect?” Saïx pushed, and Axel snorted in disbelief.

“You're kidding, right? That's like counting grains of dust in a building full of sneezing people.” It would take forever!

“What about the chamber? Did you find it?”

“Come on, I would have told you that much. I gotta hand it to you... You were right. About Marluxia, the traitors... You knew exactly what was up.”

“All I did was find a place to send everyone who was getting in the way.”

Okay…that hurt, or would if he felt anything. “Well, it's nice to know where I stand! Sheesh...” he shook his head, looking away.

“Did you come back in one piece or didn't you?” he turned to leave.

“I disposed of Zexion,” Axel offered, even though technically he was pretty sure he hadn’t, someone else had…not Sora though…huh, had Naminé’s powers worked on someone else so he’d forgotten them? Yes, he was sure there’d been someone else there too, someone interesting. “That's how you wanted it, right? I'll play it your way,” he watched Saïx leave and sighed. “...for now.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leon turned at the strange noise, seeing inky blackness rise up, forming… a portal? And then a hooded figure emerged, and he readied himself for a fight.

“Whoa! Leon, it’s me!” a familiar voice called, and then the hood was shoved down to reveal Sora.

“Sora? How did you do that?” he asked in shock because that was not something he had been able to do before.

“I only walked through it, didn’t open it,” Sora shrugged slightly. He looked…tired, which was worrying considering the kid no longer slept. “It’s a really long story. Is Merlin here too? I was hoping he was from here too since you guys knew each other so well…”

“He’s here,” Leon assured him. “This way.”

They started walking and while Leon wanted to know what had happened he figured it was best to wait. Soon they were inside Merlin’s house and he smirked as the Wizard yanked the vampire into an enthusiastic hug.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin immediately hugged his latest student, relieved to see him again. When the Worlds had been restored he had been very concerned about where the boy would end up, so seeing him healthy was a big relief. He let go and stepped back, hearing Cid snickering, but then frowned as he looked Sora over. “Gracious! What are you wearing?”

Sora rubbed the back of his head. “A coat?”

Merlin crossed his arms and stared at him over his glasses, even as Yuffie moved in to hug Sora and poke at the coat. That was no normal coat at all, and it concerned him why Sora would think he needed it. Sora sighed but began to explain what had happened since they had last seen him and the others…who weren’t with him now.

Hearing Sora speak of his best friend, brought back memories of hearing about the boy before, but until then he hadn’t remembered him, a very worrying idea. Messing with a person’s memories wasn’t all that difficult, but to do so in a way that erased others memories of them at the same time? And his memories? It seemed he needed to work on his mental defences more often.

This Naminé was far too powerful to leave without training, although it would have to wait since she was rather busy at the moment. It was good that she had made the decision to restore their memories herself, but her existence raised questions about young Kairi, could a ‘Nobody’ exist outside of the person they were made from without it being detrimental to either?

The DiZ character was a concern, while he was helping for the moment, would that last? Something about him sounded familiar as well…

“It’s so strange, listening to you talk of this Riku…you must have told us about him before, especially if Ansem possessed him, and yet I can’t remember it,” Leon commented when Sora fell quiet, the others nodding in agreement.

“This Organisation sounds like trouble ta me,” Cid grumbled.

“Indeed…” Merlin adjusted his glasses. “And with Sora now alone, that makes them even more dangerous. I do believe…yes, yes, it would be best if you remain here for a time and continue your training. I’ve already readied the training room.”

“And it’ll give me time to get you a ship that doesn’t run on ‘happy faces’,” Cid grumbled, shuddering, and Yuffie laughed at his reaction.

“Indeed, while young Naminé may be right about you learning to use these Corridors, I think it would be best to not rely on them. Granted, as a vampire, you have a certain resilience to Darkness…still, as your Sire proves, it is nevertheless possible to be corrupted by it,” Merlin warned, and Sora nodded.

He did not like mentioning her to the boy, but he needed to be aware of the risks. Perhaps with a few more years of training he could get his magical reserves up to a level where Sora could use his own preferred method of travel? Not that Sora’s magic levels weren’t already impressive, especially considering the fact he had only known of magic for a short time.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stood before Riku’s pod, watching him sleep, he looked so peaceful that no one would ever guess how close they’d been to being too late to save him. Still, even with barely a single memory returned, she could feel the Darkness locked away within him. She hoped Sora was right and that Riku would have the strength to fight it.

She missed Sora and the King, they had talked with her while they were moving and setting things up. DiZ, much like the Organisation members, only spoke to her when he wanted a progress report or to remind her to work quickly. Sooner or later, they would be found and if it was while Sora and the King were away then they would have little defence.

She knew that Sora had found his teacher and was receiving further training, which was good, he would need it while travelling alone. She wished she could see further into the future than only a day or so, but he would just have to manage.

She sighed and got back to work.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel sat on the clock tower, eating his ice cream, glancing over at Xion. He didn’t know why he had brought her along after the mission, but he supposed there was worse company to have. She may be a puppet, one of Vexen’s creations, but with the extra data and now growing experience of her own, she was becoming more like the rest of them.

It was…kind of nice, having company, even if she didn’t talk much.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yuffie grinned at Sora who nodded and shifted his stance. She loved training with him, he really made her work on her stealth thanks to his enhanced senses. It was like working with Cloud but where Cloud beat Sora out on strength, the kids senses were definitely better than even a Soldiers. She wasn’t sure which of them was faster now though, maybe they should organise a race to see?

Merlin had done a great job with the time spell, they could spend almost as long as they wanted in the room and very little time would pass. Though, if they spent too long inside they would start to age, which was fine for Sora but not the rest of them, well other than Merlin, who knew how old he was already.

She was teaching Sora to fight like a ninja, to make use of his body’s natural strengths without having to think about it. Plus, it never hurt to know how to use weapons other than the giant mystical key. They’d heard how it’d been taken from him once and while they all hoped that couldn’t happen again, it was best to plan as if it would. Weapons like Leon’s and Cloud’s would look ridiculous due to Sora’s size but the stuff she used was perfect.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared down at his clothing in shock and then looked at his reflection to double check he was seeing what he thought he was. He grinned and then let out a cheer, he’d grown! Enough that his pants and sleeves were noticeably shorter and…yeah, his face had thinned out a little too. Just how long had he been in the training room?

“Sora?” Merlin poked his head around the door and Sora held his arms out. The Wizard blinked at him before laughing and congratulating him. “Let me see, let me see,” he muttered, weaving magic around him. “Hmm….it seems that the room messed with the spell and gave you everything in one go rather than more gradual change. This is all there will ever be,” he warned, and Sora shrugged.

“It’s better than being stuck like I was forever. I was never going to catch up to Riku anyway.” If Riku didn’t grow in the pod he probably had, he seemed to be about the height he remembered Riku being, but he was only sleeping so he should still be aging in there, right? He’d really need a haircut by the time he woke up then!

“True, you are not the most blessed with height, Sora,” Merlin agreed, and Sora couldn’t decide if he was teasing or not. “Still, new clothes will be needed. The Fairy Godmother does like designing them and her work is just as good as those three Fairies, I believe they ended up with Yen Sid when their World fell. Perhaps they are still there. Better run along and let her know, especially if you want anything different.”

Sora nodded and went to find her, there were a few changes he’d like for practicality and because a change would be good. Not that anyone would see his clothing when he was using that stuffy coat.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Cloud stood at the back as everyone said temporary goodbyes to Sora. He had been shocked to feel the changes to the teen since they had met at the Coliseum. The others may not sense it, but he could, Sora was no longer human…and it wasn’t something usually considered Light. No, he was pretty sure at least Merlin knew, but if the others did then they were keeping quiet to keep Sora’s secret. He could feel that Sora carried Darkness within him now, tightly controlled, locked away, for now. If that ever failed then hopefully the kid would be strong enough to face it and come out the other side.

Sora glanced over and Cloud nodded at him, the kid smiling at him in return. The first time they met, Cloud had nearly killed him, and yet when Sora had seen him in town there had been no anger or anything, just Sora happy to know he had made it home when the Worlds had been restored.

Maybe it was wrong to call him kid…he’d changed, grown up. Thankfully, he’d lost that horrible bright red…outfit. The magical clothing was far more practical and less of an eyesore. He looked like one of them now and not an island child. He’d already being wearing more muted colours before his growth spurt, but now he wore trousers more like Leon’s, although without as many belts, and he wore a long sleeved black shirt…covering as much skin as possible, which was a big change. Was it because he found other Worlds colder than his home, or did it have something to do with what had changed? He had a black jacket trimmed in red too, not that it mattered, when he put the strange black coat on, it hid everything, even hiding the collar of his jacket, and changing his fingerless gloves into full ones.

Honestly, none of them were happy about Sora leaving alone to hunt the Heartless and Organisation. Compared to them, he was very young, well compared to all of them except Yuffie. Even with the defence system, it still took all of them to keep the town safe.

He had only seen Sora that once in town and now…he regretted not agreeing to help train him. Now, all he could do was watch the ship take off.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora looked down at the membership card Leon had given him, grinning. He was an official member of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee! He had taken time out from training to help them in their work and deal with any Heartless that popped up. This time, no one had bothered keeping track of how long had passed for him under the effects of the time spell, what would be the point?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DiZ looked up as Sora walked in, studying him closer…interesting, it appeared the boy had hit a rather large growth spurt in the few weeks he was gone. He’d even gotten new clothes from somewhere, and a ship.

Naminé smiled at Sora and he smiled back at her. “Welcome back Sora,” she greeted and DiZ left.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Seeing DiZ had left she leant in. “That was a lot of training,” she murmured, and he shrugged.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, and she took his hand, leading him to the room where Riku’s pod was.

As soon as they were inside, Sora moved to the pod, placing his hand against it, staring at the sleeping teen within. “Hey Riku,” he whispered, and she ignored the way he sniffled.

“All of the readings are stable,” she offered, and he nodded.

“His memories?” Sora looked over at her.

She wished she had better news, could give him a definite date of when Riku would wake, but she couldn’t.

He nodded, obviously seeing something in her expression and she went to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Sora leant back into her touch and took a shaky breath. “I know you’re doing your best and it’s stupid to expect results so fast.”

“Except that for you it isn’t fast,” she pointed out. “Sora you were under that time spell for possibly years. It’s only been a few weeks outside of that. A little has been restored but I don’t know how long it will take. I won’t stop until he has everything back though.”

“Thanks Naminé, for everything.”

“Everything?” she looked away.

“It wasn’t your fault Naminé, they used you and they would have hurt you if you hadn’t obeyed.”

“I’m just a Nobody…I shouldn’t even exist,” she whispered, and then he was gripping her shoulders.

“Who told you that?” he demanded, and she swallowed nervously. “DiZ,” he growled, assuming correctly.

“Sora…”

He jerked back, eyes going wide, almost backing into the pod. “I…I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Naminé…I’d never hurt you.”

He thought he had scared her? She reached out and took his hand. “I’m not scared of you Sora. I know you would never hurt anyone. What you are doesn’t dictate who you are…” Oh, was that why he was mad? Because if that was true for him…then maybe it was true for her too?

He smiled at her and she smiled back. “If you mean that then it’s true for you too.” She was shocked when he carefully wrapped his arms around her, but then she mimicked him, and it felt…warm, safe…nice. So that was a hug. “I wish I could just stay here with you guys.”

“You have a duty to the Worlds, Sora. And if the Organisation is watching you…”

“Then they aren’t looking so hard for you which buys times,” Sora sighed. “Fine, but if DiZ gives you trouble, you tell me. I’ll…I’ll bite him or something.”

She laughed at that, knowing Sora wouldn’t actually bite someone, but it was nice of him to offer.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora sat with his back against the pod, going through his things, talking quietly despite being told Riku couldn’t hear him. There was always the slim chance he could after all, even if only in his dreams…if he was even able to dream in that sleep. Maybe he would dream his memories as they returned?

“I miss you,” he admitted, turning his head to look up at the pod.

He looked so peaceful just floating there. When was the last time he saw Riku so relaxed? He couldn’t remember, Riku had become so…tense, arrogant, almost cold in those last months before the Islands fell. What would Riku be like when he woke up? Those few minutes at the Door, he’d seemed so much like the old Riku, and what Kairi had said of how Riku had held Ansem back when Sora was out, that sounded like him too. No matter what, he would be there for him, he would never turn his back on Riku.

He sighed as he smelt the man approaching, wonderful. He packed his things away and stood, turning to face the door, smelling DiZ’s surprise that he was waiting for him. “Need something?” He didn’t trust DiZ, especially after Naminé’s not quite admission over what he was saying or how he was treating her.

“King Mickey has sent word,” DiZ answered, placing a file down on the table. “You are becoming close to Naminé.”

“She’s my friend,” Sora answered.

“She is a Nobody, incapable of emotion, her kind should never exist.”

Sora bit back a snarl of rage at his uncaring words. “Funny, she has more emotion then you,” he told the man, seeing the flicker of surprise in his visible eye.

Yeah, Sora knew that if the man had done his homework that he would be surprised. He’d changed since being turned, how could he have not? His temper was faster to ignite now and he stayed angry easily. He’d spent the whole time in Castle Oblivion angry and scared, taking down the Organisation members there hadn’t bothered him at all.

Sora took the file and flipped through it, strange creatures, not Heartless had been spotted at the Coliseum. Definitely something that needed looking into which meant he’d be leaving to check it out. He looked up at DiZ, for a second tempted to remove the illusion and give him a good scare, but he ignored that urge.

He stepped closer to DiZ and glared at him. “Leave Naminé alone. She’s a better person than you by miles.” With that he walked past him, going to let Naminé know he was leaving.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Herc!” Sora called, grinning, and the hero turned, waving at him.

“Sora! Welcome back.” Hercules jogged over and then grabbed him up in a rib crushing hug, making Sora laugh and hug back.

“Well, who’s this Wonderboy?” A female voice asked, and Sora looked over to see a woman approaching.

“Meg, this is Sora. Sora, this is Megara. Sora is a junior hero, him and his friends helped take out Cerberus.”

“Well, well, a real hero,” she grinned, leaning against Hercules who finally put Sora down.

He looked between them, picking up a scent that he hadn’t before, unsure what it meant…oh! Right. He was happy for Hercules even if it made him miss Kairi and Riku more which was just dumb since they were only friends, even if he had kissed Riku…he’d been totally memoryless at the time, but Sora still hoped that some part of Riku had recognised him or something.

“So what brings you here Sora? And where are Donald and Goofy?”

Sora winced slightly and Hercules frowned. “They’re alive,” he said quickly, and Herc nodded in relief.

“Come on, let’s talk in private. Meg…”

“Go have some guy talk,” she traced a hand over his chest armour and then left.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Hercules listened as Sora explained everything that had happened since he’d last seen the group. That was…to lose his friend, to think he’d killed him, only to have to seal him behind a Door, then to find him again just as he lost the last of his memories… “I’m so sorry Sora.” Hercules gently grasped his shoulder.

“I…” Sora’s breathing was shaky which considering he didn’t actually need to breath was bad.

Hercules’ didn’t really see the illusion, he just saw his friend Sora as he truly was now. it didn’t scare or disgust him to see fangs, claws, red eyes. He looked lost and Hercules wished there was something he could do to help…Mnemosyne…his Great-Aunt. She was technically a Titaness and also the mother of the Muses…his half-sisters. His family tree was very complicated. He would contact her before saying anything to Sora. This Naminé was powerful, but she wasn’t a goddess.

“So is this just a visit?”

“No, sorry, but we had reports of odd creatures, not Heartless.”

“Those, yeah, I haven’t seen any but there have been reports in Thebes. I can show you where.”

“Thanks.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Any idea what those things are?” Herc asked, looking around to make sure they really had gotten them all, and Sora nodded.

“Yeah, they’re Nobodies,” Sora ran a hand through his hair, using a quick Aero spell to dry it since it was dripping from being thrown into the nearby fountain during the fight.

“Nobodies?” Hercules chuckled at him and Sora rolled his eyes but then grinned.

“You’ve seen Heartless form?” Sora asked, and Herc grimaced but nodded. “Well Nobodies come from what’s left behind, they’re made from the body and soul. They don’t always form, the person has to have a strong will. There’s this Organisation XIII, made up of Nobodies that look totally human,” Sora explained everything he knew as they walked the city, checking for any more.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora sat in the cockpit, hesitating. He knew what he wanted to do, go right back to Twilight Town but...he needed to be seen out in the Worlds doing his job. He ran a hand through his hair and grimaced, why was it that even dead, his hair could grow? Stupid messed up vampire biology. Okay, so he needed a haircut cause the spikes were getting too long and going nuts. No one had cut his hair in years except…he sighed, hesitating but then closed his eyes, concentrating, before his fingers moved over the buttons, inputting coordinates he’d never seen before. He’d just have to be really careful not to be seen for everyone’s safety. Fingers crossed the coordinates worked.

_TBC…_


	12. ch12

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 12**

Kairi wandered along the shoreline, lost in thought, but as the sun began to set she turned towards home. She really needed to pack casual clothes in her school bag for when she wanted to stay out all afternoon, the evening air had a chill to it that her uniform didn’t do much to protect her from. She was almost to the street when a hand wrapped around her mouth and she was pulled back into the bushes. She tried to scream, kicking out at her attacker, swinging her bag back at them, trying to twist free like Tidus and Wakka had been teaching her.

“Kairi it’s me!” A male voice hissed in her ear. “It’s Sora.” The hand over her mouth was removed and she relaxed.

Kairi turning her head, finding she had to look up more than she remembered, but she knew that grin. “Sora…” she whispered in shock, and he let her go. She spun around and threw herself against him, feeling him catch her even as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “You’re home,” she choked as he hugged her back. “I’ve missed you so much…your parents have been going crazy. Search parties have looked everywhere, and I just didn’t know what to say. No one knows I was gone at all,” she explained in a rush, clinging to him.

“Shh, it’s okay,” he whispered. She felt him rest his head against the top of hers. He had to be as tall as…as... “I’ve missed you too, so much, but…I’m not home, not yet.”

“What?” She pulled back to glare at him.

“Kairi, do you remember Riku?”

“Riku?” she asked in confusion, frowning. Riku… “I…”

“He’s our best friend Kairi and no one remembers him anymore. Come with me to the Play Island?” he asked, and she nodded. She was confused, but she trusted Sora. “Hold on.” She moved back in and he wrapped his arms around her waist. There was a flash of light and then she looked around to find they were on the Island.

“How?”

“A trick I learnt from Merlin,” he grinned, taking her hand and leading her towards the Secret Place. They came to the familiar drawing of her and Sora giving each other a Paopu fruit. He traced the image and then ran his fingers over a blank…no…scribbled section. “Can you see him Kairi? You drew this, it’s Riku.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora was glad Naminé had a connection with Kairi as well and knew about her adding to the drawing. They both definitely had more talent for drawing then he did. He gently traced the image of Riku on the wall, smiling at the idea of the three of them sharing the legendary fruit. So maybe…that dream could be real? He’d kissed Riku, not that that really counted under the circumstances, and from the way Kairi had hugged him in the waterway and then now…

He reached out and took her hand, bringing her fingers to touch the stone, tracing the image for her. “Please Kairi, try to remember. When we built the raft, it was the three of us, Riku did a lot of the building, I kept falling asleep on the beach and you were teasing me. We all wanted to go but Riku…he wanted it the most. The night the Islands fell, we were separated, I ended up in Traverse Town, he landed in Hollow Bastion, and you,”

“My heart went to you,” she said, obviously forgetting Riku hadn’t effected that memory.

“Do you remember what happened later at Hollow Bastion?”

“You stabbed yourself with Ansem’s Keyblade to free my heart. You were glowing and then…” she took a shaky breath, and he squeezed her hand.

“Hey, I’m okay,” he promised, and she nodded.

“You wouldn’t wake up and then Ansem was there and...” she frowned. “And…he stopped?”

“Riku stopped him. Ansem possessed him, used his body, but Riku managed to hold him back to save us.”

Kairi frowned, running her fingers along the stone where Sora had guided them. “Riku? Where is he then? Why…why can’t I remember him?”

Sora took a deep breath but began explaining about Castle Oblivion, the Organisation, and…Naminé.

“So you’re playing distraction to give them the time needed for her to fix Riku’s memory? And no one will remember him until it’s fixed? Even his family?”

“There were only search parties for me, right?” he asked, and she nodded slowly.

“The house…I walk past it and I keep…”

“Thinking something’s missing?” he offered, and she nodded. “For some reason, he wasn’t fully erased from you, maybe because Naminé came from you? I don’t know. Just try Kairi,” he pulled out the picture Naminé had given him and held it out to her.

,,,,,,,

Kairi took the paper and unfolded it, seeing a drawing of herself, Sora, and…another boy, with long silver hair and green/blue eyes. That was Riku? Wait...why could she see him in the picture but not on the wall. “Riku…” she whispered, hr chest aching like…like something was missing. She glanced at the wall, and she could see the image of the three of them sharing Paopu fruit…she’d drawn him, she could tell, the style different from what Sora had drawn.

“You can see it now?” Sora asked hopefully, and she nodded.

“I want to see him,” she said, but Sora shook his head.

“It’s too dangerous Kairi, for everyone.”

“You’re leaving me behind again,” she looked away, hurt. He wasn’t going into battle so why not? Didn’t he want her there?

Sora gripped her shoulders tightly, so that she couldn’t move away but not enough to hurt. “Kairi…” he moved one hand to touch her cheek, gently moving her face to look at him, and her breath hitched at the look in his eyes. “There’s no guarantee that you’re not being watched because of me. That’s why I grabbed you the way I did, out of sight, why I teleported us here. The moment it’s safe, I’ll bring him home or you to him, I promise.”

She hated it but…if there was even a tiny chance he was right, then him taking her could put everyone in danger…for a boy she didn’t really remember. But the pictures meant he was very important, why else would she have drawn him sharing a Paopu fruit? “Okay,” she moved to lean against him, feeling extra muscle under his clothing. She frowned in thought even as she hugged him. “Sora…you’ve grown…too much,” she began to tense, was it not Sora? Was this a fake, a trap?

“Hey,” he whispered, and she felt a kiss being pressed to her hair, shocking her. “It’s me Kairi, I swear. Remember Merlin? He has this spell, that can speed up time in a place while no or little time passes outside. I’ve been training under it for at least two years, maybe a bit more. That’s why I look a bit older. Remember the year after you arrived, when we came out here and you saw that flower? And I insisted on climbing up to get it for you? Took me four tries and then I fell out of the tree, and you were screaming because you thought I’d killed myself, but all I had was some bruises?”

How would anyone else know that? “Sora,” she relaxed against him.

Knowing he was older than her now was odd, but not really upsetting or anything. And it wasn’t like he’d shot up a foot in height or something. The muscles…well they kind of felt…nice. She felt safe in his arms, she knew he’d protect her, even if she was learning more and more to protect herself. She looked up at him, taking in the changes to his face, there wasn’t much, but he did look a little older. His hair though…

“You need a cut,” she offered, and he laughed.

“Well my hairdresser wasn’t available,” he teased, and she rolled her eyes but dropped her school bag and dug through it even as he sat with his back to her.

Kairi found her scissors and stood behind him, running her fingers through familiar spikes. “Normal length?”

“Shorter please, in case it takes a while before I can come back.”

That made sense so she began cutting. She’d taken over cutting his hair when they were eleven, though she hadn’t been the best at it back then. She’d gotten a lot better over the years, cutting his and…she blinked and smiled, she knew she had cut someone else’s hair but didn’t remember doing. “I cut Riku’s too, didn’t I?” she asked.

“Yeah, the last three years, though he’s been letting it get longer lately.”

They fell silent as she worked and eventually she ran her hands though it vigorously to remove the cut strands and then stepped back. “Done.”

He stood up and took his jacket off to shake it out and then slipped it back on. “Thanks,” he smiled at her, and she smiled back.

Kairi put the scissors back in her bag and looked him over, the shorter hair was a definite improvement, showing off his face and wide eyes better. She moved in and hugged him again, soaking up the contact. They’d always been physically affectionate and she had missed him, enjoying being hugged back. He let go and she frowned in confusion but then he lifted a hand and gently stroked her cheek, and she leant into it. She shifted upwards, saw his eyes widen, but then he moved his head down, their lips brushing softly.

“Kairi…”

“Don’t say sorry,” she warned, and he laughed but shook his head.

“No, I’m not sorry, we should have done that back in the Waterway,” he admitted. “I kissed Riku, before he went into the pod, he didn’t even know who I was, I don’t think he knew anything by that point; his name, how to recognise anything… I just…”

“You had to say goodnight,” she finished for him. She glanced at the pictures, the three of them together. “Riku and I…”

Sora sighed. “I don’t know, other than what you’ve drawn. The last few months on the Islands things were getting bad, I think you were…scared of him, because you’re a Princess of Heart and you could sense the Darkness growing around him. You wanted to come with me to fight Ansem, to get Riku back, you were so upset when we thought he’d lost his heart to the Darkness.”

She remembered wanting to go with Sora but not that it had been to save someone, which made more sese then what she did remember.

“There’s a lot we need to talk about Kairi, but we don’t have time. I’ll try and sneak back and see you again if you want me to.”

“No,” she shook her head. “If taking me would be dangerous then you coming here is too. If Ansem was possessing Riku…he can fight right? You’ll be safer once he’s awake and can back you up, then you come get me and we’ll kick Organisation ass, together. I’ve been working with Tidus and Wakka so that I won’t slow you guys down. And we can talk everything over then.”

Sora laughed and kissed her again but with more pressure. “It’s a promise.” He pressed something into her hand, and she looked down to see her lucky charm.

“No, you need it more than I do,” she smiled at him. “Now, take me home before anyone thinks I’ve gone missing and then go save the Worlds. I want you and Riku home as soon as possible,” she ordered sternly.

“Right,” he grinned, and with a muted flash they were back where he’d grabbed her. “Be careful,” he warned, and she kissed his cheek.

“You too,” it was hard to walk away, but she had to. And tomorrow she would insist on the guys making lessons even harder. Next time something happened, she was going to be able to fight and go with them. She glanced back once but there was no sign of Sora.

,,,,,,,,,

Sora staggered to his feet, spitting out blood, even as he snarled. The group of Heartless and Nobodies just kept on growing, no matter how many he took out. He was lost in a maze and while normally he could burn through the hedges, in Wonderland they grew back too quickly! The quirky World had been sort of fun when he’d been there with Donald and Goofy but on his own it was confusing and frustrating.

He screamed as a sword impaled him, tearing away on instinct, staggering back. He mentally swore even as he barred bloody fangs at the Invisible that had gotten the drop on him. He cast Curaga, feeling his magic drain, blocking the next blow with the Keyblade. Sharp claws raked down his back, mostly blocked by the magical clothing but he could feel welts form on the skin, even as he spun and slashed the shadow apart with his own claws.

A few beats of his wings had him airborne which meant only facing the Invisibles, Artful Flyers, and Snipers. He blinked, looking down, as a wave of cards attacked the ground based enemy…okay then, he wasn’t going to complain if the Queen’s guards took them out, as long as they didn’t then attack him anyway. With the brief break he guzzled an emergency pack and threw himself back into the fight, magic flaring around him.

,,,,,,,,,,

Leon helped remove the bloodied jacket and shirt, seeing the still healing wounds that littered the kids body, feeling sick. If he was still human….but he wasn’t and he’d come back ‘alive’, although in need of a change of clothing. Good thing the Fairy Godmother had made a few more copies of his outfit in case of something like this.

Sora was exhausted, moving from fight to fight was not good for him even if it was giving him a lot of Munny and odds and ends to give the Moogles to make new items with. And Sora was making use of that, stockpiling things for when his friends woke since they would need supplies, especially Riku, and if the girl…Kairi was serious about fighting then she would need even more since she didn’t have a Keyblade.

He’d like to meet DiZ and introduce him to his Gunblade. The man was using Sora and it was obvious but so long as he was playing a role in restoring the groups memories there was nothing anyone could do.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Xemnas was pleased by all the sightings of young Sora. It was puzzling to learn he was travelling alone, perhaps a falling out with the King’s men? Xion was proving a better investment than he had first believed since it had managed to manifest a Keyblade, or something similar at least, it got the job done even if it didn’t feel quite right.

Thankfully, Sora was doing what they needed him to do as well, and managing not to mess up any of their missions. Although, Xaldin was sure the boy had seen him on one of his missions and had attempted to pursue him, thankfully he had followed orders and not engaged.

There had been no sign of Sora’s Nobody anywhere that they could find which was very disappointing. He would have made a very good addition to their ranks. The small time Sora had spent as a Heartless would likely have impacted how many memories he had but even if he had Sora’s full memory, he was just a child and would be easy to manipulate. After all, destroying the Heartless was something the Keyblade bearer did and he doubted he would see anything wrong with seeking to regain their hearts. He did not need to know the truth.

Axel had admitted that Naminé’s powers hadn’t worked to erase or rewrite Sora’s memories which was strange but perhaps her powers had been exaggerated by Marluxia. Still, no one there would have given him enough information to be dangerous to their goals.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora smiled at Naminé, who smiled and then slipped out of the room to give him privacy. He walked up to the pod where Riku floated, his head tipped down towards his chest, and Sora hoped that wouldn’t give him the worlds’ worst neck ache when he woke up. The last few months had been busy, with more and more Nobody sightings all over the place, Sora was pretty sure he’d caught a fleeting glimpse of a familiar black coat too but whoever it was had vanished before he could reach their location.

“Hey sleepyhead,” he greeted, trying for a teasing tone. If Riku could hear him then he didn’t want to worry him. “Sorry it’s been a while, but things are heating up out there. I haven’t had the chance to visit Kairi again, but I know she’s working hard to remember you. She misses you even if she doesn’t really remember you. Did I tell you she drew you sharing Paopu fruit with the two of us? When you wake up we have to do that, make sure nothing will ever separate us…I’ll do my best not to vomit it straight up. I…I have something important to tell you both then,” he admitted. “Naminé thinks you guys can accept it…accept me. I hope she’s right cause loosing you guys…” he sighed, closing his eyes.

He heard the door open and turned, smiling as King Mickey entered the room.

,,,,,,,,,

Mickey hadn’t seen Sora since they had first left Twilight Town on their own missions, so the change of wardrobe and appearance was a surprise. He hadn’t spent a lot of time with humans, especially young ones, but surely that was too big a change over only a few months? He looked…older. Tired too, worn down. That was not good!

“Hello Sora,” he greeted, before his gaze drifted to the pod, the boy within looked more familiar now then he had the last time he had seen him, so he assumed the work was going well.

“Hello, your M…Mickey,” Sora corrected quickly when Mickey crossed his arms.

“Are you alright Sora?” he asked, and the boy shrugged slightly.

“Just tired,” he answered, and yeah, he looked it.

“You have been taking breaks, right?” he asked, moving closer.

“Does flying count?” he asked with a small grin.

“Sora! I know you’re worried, I am too,” he told him, after all Donald and Goofy were two of his oldest friends and closest companions.

Sora was obviously worried about them too, he had spent months travelling with them after all, but the level of his concern for Riku…well, it seemed closer to the concern he felt for Minnie when they were apart. He couldn’t imagine being separated the way they were…to have the one he loved be possessed by someone so evil.

“You still need to look after yourself. How do you think they’d feel if they could see what you’re doing?”

Sora looked away, obviously getting the hint. “Fine,” he muttered, and Mickey bit back a chuckle at the typical sulky teenager action.

“Have you eaten today?” he asked, and that got an actual eye roll.

“Yes Mom,” but at least there was the hint of a smile there too.

Good. Sora had very little to smile about these days. Riku had told him…his eyes widened as he realised, he remembered speaking with Riku!

“Mickey? What is it?” Sora was staring at him in concern, and Mickey smiled.

“I remember speaking with Riku in the Realm of Darkness, not much of it, just a glimpse, but it’s there.”

Sora’s eyes went wide and then a true smile overtook his face, making him look more like the boy he could vaguely remember Riku telling him about. Sora then looked back at the pod, pressing both hands to it. “It’s working Riku,” he whispered, voice hitching.

Mickey reached out and put his hand on his arm, wishing he could reach his shoulder. “See? It will be okay. You need sleep, I’ll stay with him if it’ll make you better,” he offered, unlike Sora, he had been taking care of himself.

Sora hesitated but then nodded. “Okay…and thanks.” He kept his hand on the pod as long as possible even as he walked away.

Mickey watched him go and then settled in to keep watch, smiling at the girl who entered after a while, telling her about the memory which made her happy.

_TBC.._


	13. ch13

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 13**

“Axel,” Xion called as she joined him on the ledge, passing him an ice cream which he took and began to eat.

“Thanks kid,” he smirked and reached out to ruffle her hair. It was strange…he knew what she was and yet it had become easy to treat her like a real person. “How was the mission today?”

That got a wide smile from her and then she put her hand out and he stared at the very familiar weapon in her had. It looked exactly like the Keyblade Sora had used for the majority of his time in the Castle when he’d been fooling them into thinking he’d lost his powers and skills. It seemed that the extra data from the boy had finally worked the way they had hoped.

With a Keyblade of their own, they wouldn’t need to try and get to Sora to do what they wanted now, they could just send Xion out to kill Emblem Heartless. Then again, almost all of them had spotted the boy at some point during a mission, fighting Heartless and any Nobodies that strayed nearby. It was odd, they had all reported that he was alone, so where were the King’s men who had been with him?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi pulled out the drawing Sora had given her months before, staring at the image. She hadn’t seen Sora since and wished he’d come back. She hadn’t seen any sign of being watched, but would she? With the kind of powers Sora had said they had… she just wanted them back, wanted to spend the day on the beach watching them spar…she swallowed, a tear falling as she saw it all in her head, the vague image of a silver haired boy in really baggy pants, taller than both of them.

Whatever Naminé was doing, it was working! She just wanted more, wanted it all back now.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora lay in the bed of the room in the mansion beside the one Naminé used…after Sora had made her choose one for herself. Before that, Diz’d had her sleeping on the floor of the pod room. He seemed to be treating her better after the words they’d exchanged thankfully since he wasn’t sure what he could do to make him treat her better if words had failed. Maybe Mickey could have done something more but so far it seemed unnecessary.

Mickey wanted him to get some sleep and he wished he could. He was tired, worn down from the never ending fights. Maybe the King was right and he at least needed to rest more often even if he couldn’t actually sleep.

He closed his eyes, trying to reach the resting state, but his mind wouldn’t calm. He rolled onto his side, staring out of the window at the woods. The sun never truly set in Twilight Town, although the light level did change some from ‘day’ to ‘night’. After a few hours he gave up and slipped from the mansion and into the town to wander around.

It was only chance that had him glancing up, vampire vision spotting two figures in familiar black up on the clock tower. Had they been found? The Organisation shouldn’t be able to remember Riku anymore than everyone else, but they would want Naminé back and obviously had an interest in him too. He made his way quickly to the train station, easily scaling the walls, silently. He recognised the crazy red hair, Axel. He had seemed the most...non-evil of the bunch and fighting beside him had been easy, but that didn’t mean Axel wouldn’t fight him now, they had faced a traitor to his group after all which was why he had fought on Sora’s side. But he had no reason to side with Sora now.

Thankfully, vampires were made to be the top predator, utter masters of stealth, so he was able to perch above them and listen as the two talked, learning the girl was Xion…she looked the same age as Kairi! Actually…she looked scarily like Kairi, as much as Naminé did, but how was that possible? One person couldn’t have two Nobodies, could they?

They seemed to be celebrating success on a mission and he did wonder why Nobodies would be focusing on taking out Heartless, a question for Mickey…and DiZ. That was one human he could sink fangs into and not kill himself from guilt over. There was just something completely off about the man.

He was thankful for his perfect memory as he listened to them talk about some of the other members, shocked to hear that they believed their goal to be to use Kingdom Hearts to gain hearts of their own. Was that possible? Even if it was, it felt off to him, if they wanted that then what was that mess in the Castle? Honestly, motivation like that would have gained his sympathy and maybe it was what motivated some of them, but he doubted it did their ‘Superior’. Eventually they left and he slipped away.

He was going to have to admit to Mickey that he hadn’t been able to sleep which would really worry the King. It was nice and kind of odd having someone who didn’t really know him care so much. It had taken time for Donald and Goofy to warm up to him, especially Donald. The instant acceptance from the King had been a shock but it was…nice. He tried not to wonder if it would last if…when Mickey learnt the truth about him.

Still, intel was intel and needed to be shared.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey sighed as the Corridor closed behind Sora. He was really worried about the kid! Instead of sleeping the other night, he’d ended up wandering the town. Sure, he’d been able to eavesdrop on some Organisation members but he needed rest! The way he was going, Mickey really would end up giving bad news to the others when they woke!

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stepped out into a World he’d never been to before, looking around at the woods. It seemed nice enough? He hesitated but then removed the black coat and stored it away, not wanting to be mistaken for one of them and also not wanting the Organisation to know he had a way to access the Corridors. He was pretty sure he could almost open the way himself now, what did that say about the state of his heart these days?

He wandered around until he came upon a cottage, watching seven very short men move about, gathering…mining supplies? They were even signing! Very odd but they weren’t Heartless or Nobodies so not his problem. He kept going, spotting a castle in the distance.

It was nearly evening when he reached it, looking around, curiously.

“Hello,” a voice called and he turned to see a man, older than him, but with a friendly, open face.

“Hello,” he smiled at the man. “My name’s Sora, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Sora?” a familiar voice called, and then Snow White was walking down the stairs, Sora bowing slightly to her.

“It’s good to see you again,” he told her as she took the man’s arm.

“You know Sora?” the man, who had to be her Prince, asked.

Snow White nodded. “He helped save me from Maleficent.”

It was obvious to Sora that she was still wary of him, even after all he’d done, and that hurt but he did his best not to show it.

“Well then, please come inside. You can spend at least the night, the woods are treacherous in the dark.”

“Oh…I wouldn’t want to impose…” Sora looked between them, and Snow White hesitated but then nodded.

“He’s right Sora, you should stay.”

That shocked him but slowly he nodded, following them inside. He was shown to a very nice room where he had a lot of fun in the massive bathtub for a while before reluctantly joining them for the evening meal. He really didn’t want to force himself to eat just to throw up later but it would be rude not to go.

,,,,,,,,

“I hope we always have each other,” Xion whispered as they sat eating their ice cream.

“What's gotten into you?” Axel asked, glancing at her.

“I just...want these days to last forever. The time together, the ice cream, the sunsets...” she smiled at him.

“Nothing lasts forever, least of all for a bunch of Nobodies. But you know, we'll still have each other...even if things change and we can't do this anymore,” he told her awkwardly, but he meant it.

“Yeah?”

“As long as we remember each other, we'll never be apart. Got it memorized?” he demanded, and she laughed happily.

“Wow, Axel, that sounded so sweet,” she teased, smiling happily.

“What? I thought it was pretty deep,” he grumbled, and she patted his shoulder.

,,,,,,,,,

Snow White walked towards the boy sitting on the window ledge, the setting sun almost making him glow with light…and yet she sensed the Darkness within him. It had made them all hesitant around him, even after being told by a very indignant Donald just what he had done to himself to free them and the last of their number who they hadn’t met yet. He had risked becoming a Heartless, of ceasing to exist at all, to free her heart from where it had taken refuge in his own. Perhaps…they had judged him far too quickly.

He looked up at her and she saw the wary hurt in his eyes before it was masked. “Princess,” he bowed his head. “I’ll be gone first thing in the morning,” he promised, and she nearly winced.

No more, she would judge him by his words and deeds, not what she sensed. “That is not necessary Sora,” she told him, walking closer to him. “I am sorry,” her words caused him to straighten, eyes widening slightly. “We should not have acted as we did towards you when everything you did was to save the Worlds from Maleficent and Ansem’s plans.”

“It’s alright, you’re the Princesses of Heart and I’m…I’m just a Dark Creature now.”

“What do you mean?” she asked in alarm.

“Ever heard of vampires?” he asked, and she thought about it before she shook her head. “Undead blood drinking monsters.”

She gasped, hand pressed to her mouth. He was…he’d said now, that suggested he had not always been so. “What happened?”

“We went to a World called Halloween Town and…I was attacked. The others and a local friend saved me, but not in time to keep me human,” he shrugged slightly, looking back out the window. “It’s not all bad, if I wasn’t a vampire then stabbing myself with the Keyblade would have killed me, instead I was hurt and unconscious for a while.”

“I am sorry,” she whispered, and he looked at her again, offering a weak grin.

“Not your fault I let my guard down. The Keyblade didn’t abandon me so I’ll keep fighting the Heartless until it does or I die.”

“What about your home? The Worlds were restored, we all returned home…”

“Tropical Islands and vampires aren’t the best mix, even if I do have magical protection from the sun,” he shrugged. “Guess since we were at the Door to Darkness we weren’t sent home? We ended up at a place called Castle Oblivion and…my best friend had his memories taken from him. He’s the one Ansem possessed. He’s sleeping now and will until all of his memories are back. I’m playing bait for a group called Organisation XIII to keep him and those helping him safe. If you see people in black coats with hoods that totally hide them, be very careful. It might be me or King Mickey, or it could be the Organisation.”

She nodded slowly, her heart going out to him, they really had judged too quickly and needlessly hurt a boy who was just trying to save everyone. She reached out and gently touched his shoulder, smiling at him. “You are always welcome here Sora,” she told him and then kissed his cheek before leaving.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared after her with wide eyes, hand covering his cheek. What had…she’d…he swallowed, fighting tears. It felt…good, to have one of them other than Kairi accept him (not that Kairi knew everything but surely she had sensed something if the others had?).

He’d take a good look around for Heartless and Nobodies in the morning and…maybe spend another night?

,,,,,,,,

Mnemosyne had not needed the visit from young Hercules to know someone was playing in her domain. Not when the effect had been powerful enough to reach Worlds after the barriers between them were repaired. Olympus may be her World, but she was a Titaness. She would go and give her aid to the boy as thanks for his selfless act in helping to close the Door and in thanks to the no longer mortal boy who had sealed the Keyholes and stopped the Worlds from being destroyed.

She smirked, Hades was in for a shock should he meddle when the young Keyblade bearer next visited. He may technically be one of her nephew’s creatures now, but he was still a hero.

Mnemosyne moved deeper into her temple, unsealing a hidden room and entering. She went to the large bowl at the back and lifted the goblet, filling it carefully from the bowl and then she emptied the goblet into a sealed jar. Once done, she resealed the room and left.

She stared at the strange contraption and the boy who slept within. He was very different to his friend but also touched by non-human power…not godly…interesting, dark faerie. He had not begun to change himself but that kind of influence would remain with him for his life. Still, that did not mean anything, just that he would be sensitive to their kind, perhaps able to use their kind of magic with training.

Mnemosyne stepped through the flower like object, lifting his head up, and pressed the jar to his lips, ensuring the sleeping boy drank the contents. Still…there was something wrong. She pressed her hand to his head and closed her eyes, searching. Her eyes snapped open in shock. “You poor child,” she whispered.

Some of his missing memories were impossible for her to return, because they had gone into another. She could not interfere with that, however, she could leave those helping him a hint.

,,,,,,,

Axel sat alone in his room, thinking. What was he doing? Getting so close to Xion was crazy, then again some of what he had done in Castle Oblivion hadn’t been all that smart either. He didn’t flinch as Saïx entered but glanced over at him. “Ever hear of knocking?”

“Tell me what Xion has been doing,” it wasn’t a question, it was a demand.

It seemed like Saïx changed more and more every year, less and less the friend he had been when they were real people. Yes, having no heart and therefore no emotion changed them both, but his changes were definitely more extreme and Axel was beginning to wonder if he could trust him anymore.

“How should I know? I'm not spying on her,” he offered.

“...But the two of you are close.”

“So what, now I've gotta rat on my friends to you? Get out of my room, man,” he growled, looking away.

“You and Xion will be executing your next mission together.”

“Yes, sir, thank you, sir,” he drawled sarcastically. “You paid me a personal visit just to tell me that?”

“We also need you to go back to Castle Oblivion.”

Axel fought the urge to show any kind of reaction to that. “We, or you?” he asked, but there was no answer, and he looked back at Saïx.

“The castle hasn't given up all its secrets. And there's one in particular Lord Xemnas is especially interested in.”

“You mean the chamber,” he rolled his eyes. “We turned that place inside out. If it's there, we're not gonna find it by just looking.”

“Hmm... Then let me give you another incentive. Naminé isn't the only one who can trace her beginnings to Castle Oblivion. Xion comes from there, too.”

“Huh?” that got his attention.

“Two of your favourite people. Still think another visit is a waste of time?” Saïx was practically smirking.

“Hmph... Whatever. You're the one who wants me to go. Don't try and dress it up as a favour.”

“Hmph.”

“Let me guess... That chamber will tell you everything you don't know about Xemnas' true agenda. Is that the idea?”

“The Chamber of Repose, and it's antipode, the Chamber of Waking... Xemnas isn't telling us something. And the missing chamber, the Chamber of Waking, it holds all the answers. We need those answers to gain the upper hand…for our own reasons.”

“Hmm... Look, I knew Vexen and Zexion would be obstacles. That's why they're not here anymore. When have I ever complained about the dirty work?” he drawled. “I cleared the way to the top for you. Just do me a favour and don't trip on the way up,” he grumbled as Saïx turned to leave.

“A solo mission in Castle Oblivion... Expect the orders soon.”

Axel watched him go and for a second he would have sworn he felt…sad. “Naminé...and Xion?” Looked like he was going back although he doubted very much he would find what Saïx wanted.

,,,,,,,,,,,

DiZ stared at the monitor and then at Naminé. “You seem to be struggling,” he told her, working to moderate his tone in case young Sora returned early.

“A Nobody is interfering, I think,” she answered, hands clasped in front of her as she stared at Riku.

“A Nobody?” he demanded, and she nodded.

“I keep trying to piece his memory back together, but what if some of the pieces got lost? There would be no way for me to finish. If that happened…and they found their way into someone else…he'd never get them back.”

“Oh, I think he can do without a memory or two,” DiZ smirked, from all he had managed to learn from Naminé and Sora, the boy had fallen to the Darkness, to possession by his treacherous apprentice. Such weakness would be good to erase.

“But what...what if he needs those memories in order to wake up? What if they're the key?” She asked, and that made him pause.

“Naminé... You are a witch who has power over the memories of those connected to Sora. Are you seeing something I cannot?”

“If his memories become her memories...she will never survive it,” she admitted softly.

“She?” he demanded.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stared in shock as a Dark Corridor opened, backing away as a hooded figure emerged, but then the hood was pushed down to reveal a very familiar young man. “Sora,” she breathed, and he offered her a sheepish smile.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” He undid the coat and took it off, stretching.

She smiled at him and moved in to accept the offered hug. Hugs were not something she was used to and yet when Sora hugged her she felt safe. Something from Kairi? Or was it just the effect Sora had on people? He seemed happier which was good, but she knew her news would ruin that and she hated to do it, but she had to.

“I told you, you could learn to do it,” she told him, and he nodded.

“You did, thanks. Merlin taught me a method of teleporting but I can only manage it on a World so far, not between them, so the Corridors are going to be handy.” He offered a grin and she sobered, she had to tell him now.

“I'm sorry... I'm not sure I've kept my promise very well,” she admitted, and he pulled back to look at her.

“What happened?”

“Some of Riku’s memories are missing.”

“How is that possible?” he asked in confusion, looking towards where the other teen slept.

“They scattered because of how close his heat was to being destroyed, some of them have made their way into a person…and now they're starting to become a part of her.”

“You can't get the memories back out,” he whispered, moving towards the pod.

“If they're still separate...then yes, I think so,” she gave him that hope, glancing at where her sketchbook lay open to a picture of Axel and Xion. “But if they join with her memories, things get a lot more complicated. I would need to untangle her memory before I could finish Riku's... What was supposed to take months might take years. DiZ would be furious.

“Like I care what he thinks,” Sora muttered before looking at her. “So what's the solution?”

“If I try to just jump in and rearrange her memory...then I risk Riku waking up to find out that nobody remembers him anymore despite his own memory being back, I can't do that to him. It's too late either way. His awakening will have to be delayed. Unfortunately, the only real solution...is for her to go away,” she explained, and his expression showed his horror.

She moved over to the computer, DiZ’s domain, looking at the readouts there. It was stalled on 93 percent restoration and would move no further because she couldn’t access the memories to return them. “She isn’t even a Nobody, Sora. She was created at Castle Oblivion, much like the Riku Replica. Did you know her face was blank at first? Only now can you see someone. She was originally made using data gathered from you but once Riku arrived at the Castle, they began adding what they gathered from him. She has some of his actual memories as well as copies of ones from both of you, I can't sort it out anymore. All I can do is pick up the pieces once what has to be done, is done.”

“You mean…she has to die,” Sora whispered, and she nodded.

“She’s unstable, sooner or later, it will happen even without our interference,” she tried to offer that comfort and Sora nodded, gaze going back to Riku.

“Where do I find her?”

_TBC…_


	14. ch14

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 14**

“Tarzan?” Jane looked up as he entered the tent, he looked worried. “What is it?”

“Jane come, Sora,” he answered, and her eyes widened but she quickly got up and followed him, scrambling up a vine.

Tarzan was obviously moving slower to allow her to keep up but eventually he stopped and pulled her onto his back before launching off a branch, swinging from vine to vine. She was learning to move through the trees and getting better at it, but obviously speed was necessary. They hadn’t seen Sora since the mess with Clayton, surely if he had returned he would have come to see them?

Tarzan stopped and gently set her down, pointing ahead. “Careful,” he warned, and she nodded, pushing the heaving foliage back.

A snarl ripped through the air and she froze, eyes scanning the area. Was that…

“Sora?” she called softly. Crouched at the other side was a human figure in a form concealing black coat, but…not? Humans did not have wings! “Sora, it’s Jane and Tarzan.” She trusted Tarzan’s identification even if she wasn’t sure how that was possible. She moved closer and he growled, wings flexing, so she carefully moved to her knees, not wanting him to feel threatened.

He shifted and light fell across his face, making her bite back a gasp as she caught red/blue eyes. He looked…older than she remembered, but it was definitely Sora, just very changed.

“Sora, it’s Jane, do you remember me? We won’t hurt you, please let me closer. Are you injured?” she asked but he didn’t respond, the low growling continuing.

“Jane, blood,” Tarzan pointed, and she grimaced at seeing the amount.

That much blood and he should be unconscious, at least. “We need to look at him for injuries Tarzan.”

He nodded and carefully moved closer, moving like an ape. It made sense, if Sora was running on some kind of instinct then an animal may appear less threatening. Tarzan had learnt a lot since the last time they’d seen Sora and had been hoping he’d visit soon so he could show him. Tarzan began speaking softly in gorilla to him and very slowly the growling trailed off into a confused noise. He tilted his head to the side, watching Tarzan intently and sniffing the air, enhanced senses maybe? He whimpered softly, wings drooping, and Tarzan moved even closer, slowly extending his hand to Sora who leant over it, sniffing more. She bit back a cry of alarm as Sora crumpled; Tarzan catching him.

“We need to get him back to camp,” she scrambled up as Tarzan lifted Sora, being careful of his wings. She had medical supplies in camp but she wasn’t a doctor, what if she couldn’t treat his injuries? What if whatever had changed him meant normal help would actually hurt him?

Getting back down herself wasn’t so easy but she managed and without falling too far behind, it helped when a nervous Terk showed up and helped her, though the ape kept a wary distance from the unconscious teen slung over Tarzan’s shoulders.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He hurt, his whole body screaming in pain, feeling so weak… he could smell…humans and…animals? No Nobodies or Heartless though. He struggled to open his eyes, groaning as a hand brushed over his forehead.

“Sora? Can you hear me?” a female voice asked, it was familiar… “Please open your eyes.”

He struggled and finally managed to force his eyes open, blinking up at the dim light…a tent? He groaned again, trying to focus, and a face leant over him… “Ja…” he coughed, throat parched, but he saw her smile in relief.

“Welcome back,” she said and then pressed a cup to his lips.

He tasted it and grimaced, weakly turning his head aside. “Ne’d…” okay, so he was in very bad shape! He needed to feed or else he was in serious trouble, but he couldn’t reach for his ‘pockets’ to retrieve any of the blood packs. There’d be plenty of animals around….but he couldn’t drink their blood.

“Sora needs what?” Tarzan moved into view. “Not water?”

Sora licked his lips and Jane looked down at his mouth nervously. Had…had the illusion fallen? What had happened?

“Do you need meat?” She asked. “You…you have fangs Sora.”

Okay, it’d fallen…he swallowed convulsively, they smelt really good and he was so hungry… his gaze drifting to Tarzan’s throat. He didn’t notice Jane watching, brow furrowed as she considered everything.

“Sora…do you need,” she swallowed nervously, “blood?”

He looked back at her in shame.

“Oh, right. This is scientifically impossible…then again so are the Heartless and the whole thing you did behind the Waterfalls… Okay then,” she took a deep breath. “Human or is animal alright?”

He stared at her in shock. “Hum’n,” he croaked out. If he didn’t get some soon then he would end up doing something he would regret for eternity, unless he fell into a coma first?

“How do we do this?” she asked and he blinked, forcing himself to focus, to realise what she was offering, and he shook his head weakly.

He’d never bitten someone! He didn’t know how to feed from the source.

“Sora what happens if you don’t do this now? From the way your attention keeps going to our throats, I doubt it would be anything good. I’m the smart option, if anything happens, Tarzan has a better chance of pulling you off.”

She was right and he hated it. Okay…there were veins in other places, not just the throat. Somewhere first aid could stop the flow…he weakly tried to lift his hand, reaching for hers. “Wr…t”

She blinked and then her eyes widened. “Oh! My wrist?” she asked, and he managed a nod. “Alright then. Tarzan?” she looked at him, and he nodded, moving around to a better position to try and force them apart if needed. Jane then extended her arm, placing her wrist over Sora’s mouth.

He stared at the skin, able to hear and smell the blood pumping just below the skin, could see the veins…he moved without conscious thought, gripping her arm tight, pulling it to his mouth even as he opened it, striking quickly with sharp fangs. He distantly heard her gasp but paid no attention as warm liquid flowed from the wound. His lower, smaller, fangs helped hold the area steady even as he drank, something he’d never noticed with the packs. The taste…it was so much better! Was this why Merlin gave them to him? To keep him from finding out how good it was to feed from a human?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Tarzan watched as Sora drank Jane’s blood, it wasn’t disgusting, it was the food he needed, like any predator. He wasn’t being vicious or cruel like Sabor. Even as he watched, Sora’s wounds were beginning to heal, some colour returning to his skin.

“Oh,” Jane whispered, and Tarzan looked at her in concern.

“Jane?”

“I can spare a little more,” she answered, and he watched her carefully, seeing how pale she was.

“Sora stop,” he called, but the boy didn’t seem to hear him. “Sora!” he yelled, and Sora tightened his grip.

Tarzan knew if he pulled her arm away, it could rip the skin. He reached for Sora instead, he’d learnt how to make a biting predator let go. He jabbed his fingers into where upper and lower jaw met, hoping to cause enough discomfort or pain to make Sora release the bite. It worked, Sora hissed and released the bite, baring bloody teeth at him even as he shifted into a crouch too fast to follow, but Tarzan met the angry gaze, knowing better then to appear weak, like prey.

Sora snarled, clawed fingers flexing, but then he blinked slowly and shook his head. He licked his lips, cleaning the blood off them, and then he looked at Jane who was clutching her wrist tightly. He moved swiftly again, lifting her arm to his mouth again and Tarzan moved but then stopped as Sora didn’t bite down, instead he licked at the wounds, leaving them both to watch as they began to heal over as if days old.

“Sora?” she whispered, and he let go, looking up at her.

He swallowed, licking his lips again. “Jane,” Sora spoke, sounding much better now than he had before.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora gripped the bedding, forcing himself to breath steadily and ignore their scents. He could still taste her blood and was fighting the urge to bite again, to drain every last drop. He knew Tarzan couldn’t really stop him if he wanted to finish the job. Yes, his jaw was aching a little but that was already fading, all of his wounds healing, his energy returning. He wasn’t fully healed and he quickly pulled out one of the emergency packs, downing it to finish the job and to keep him from attacking them.

He couldn’t look at them, didn’t want to see fear or disgust at what he’d done…what he’d become. He blinked as he realised he was naked, wrapped in bandages, so he curled his arms around his knees, not wanting to flash poor Jane any more than he already had. He froze as Tarzan pulled the bedding back up around him, being careful of his wings…which meant the illusion had failed, he’d lost himself to the vampire.

“Sora is alright?” Tarzan asked and…he didn’t sound disgusted or scared, no, he sounded concerned.

Sora hesitantly looked up at him, meeting worried eyes a darker shade then Riku’s but still a similar colour.

“Sora?” Jane called, and he glanced at her, she looked pale, her wrist now wrapped in a clean bandage. “Do your bandages need changing?”

It was a good thing he couldn’t blush without the illusion! Had she been the one to bandage him? She’d seen him naked! Okay, he was an Island kid, he didn’t have the same hang-ups as some Worlds did when it came to being seen naked (they’d skinny dipped up until they were nine in a mixed group, and in a boy only group for a few years after that), still, Jane’s society seemed to be very much against nakedness. She’d admitted that her current dress of a simple wrap skirt and sleeveless top would be utterly scandalous.

He quickly shook his head. “My clothes?”

“I washed them to get the blood out but for some reason my sewing needle wouldn’t work to fix the rips,” she answered.

“They’re special but thanks for trying.”

“Sora…what happened to you? More creatures like those when Clayton attacked the gorillas? Are Donald and Goofy out there somewhere? The gorillas have looked but they haven’t found them.”

“I’m alone,” it hurt to admit it even after almost ten months.

He took his ripped up clothing and Jane turned her back to let him dress, Tarzan hovering in case he fell when he stood up to pull his pants on. The Fairy Godmother was not going to be happy with him, none of the group was if they saw the mess the clothing was in because they knew what it took to do that much damage to the magical cloth. What worried him was the fact he couldn’t remember coming to Deep Jungle let alone getting in such a lethal fight or who his opponent/s may have been.

He remembered talking about the sorta Nobody who had been made form data collected from him and Riku but had now absorbed some of Riku’s actual memories. He’d spent a few days at the mansion to rest….left via Corridor, headed for…he couldn’t remember. That wasn’t good! He was a vampire, he didn’t get memory problems! Which meant it had been a very brutal fight and he’d been driven to instinctive fighting immediately. The vampire instincts taking total control would be the only reason for a blank spot in his memory.

“Are they…” she trailed off but he shook his head.

“They’re alive,” he promised. He hesitated, remembering the lectures on World Order but to him it didn’t make a lot of sense; they’d seen him fighting Heartless, using magic, even sealing the World Keyhole…they had to realise there was something off about all that. The Princesses of Heart all knew about other Worlds and while Jane wasn’t one of them, he didn’t think she was too far off. So he gave them a very simple explanation of how they and his friend Riku had their memories messed with and were sleeping to have it fixed. He was shocked when Jane hugged him.

,,,,,,,,,

Sora looked at the mess where Tarzan had found him, seeing the dried blood, able to smell that it was his own. What had happened? He remembered walking through the Darkness which meant he’d been attacked there…the Organisation? Why suddenly attack him? Unless he’d come across something they didn’t want him to know about? He moved further in, crouching down, and then began breathing deeply, mouth open to get as much scent information as possible.

Huh, no scents of any Nobodies, though if they’d kept their hoods up it would conceal their scent. The scents he did pick up made him grimace, behemoths…way more than one. It seemed they had come through a Corridor with him into the Jungle but he couldn’t smell them leaving the area so he must have gotten them all. He could also smell some Shadows and Soldiers, and some of them had gotten away. He’d need to do a few patrols before leaving to try and get them all.

At least he remembered what he’d been doing, following a report that Mickey had sent to go check on Atlantica. He’d peen part way there when he must have come across the Heartless, he must have taken bad hits immediately and instinctively opened a Corridor to try and get away. Once he checked out the Jungle, he’d need to head for the underwater Kingdom to look into whatever Mickey had heard about.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Jane and Tarzan watched as some kind of portal opened up and Sora waved before stepping through. They were both worried about him travelling alone but it wasn’t like they could go with him. The black coat he wore over his clothing to keep him safe gave her the creeps too. They couldn’t keep him there though, he’d dealt with any Heartless he could find and amazingly, all of his wounds had healed.

“Sora will be alright,” Tarzan told her and she smiled at him.

“I hope you’re right.”

He had told them a little about the others…but had remained quiet on what had happened to him, what he now was. Still, he was their friend, no matter what. She was very aware he could have killed her, she’d felt the strength in his grip and knew Tarzan could not have stopped him. But he had stopped, because whatever he now was, it wasn’t a monster.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DiZ looked at the readings and then contacted the ship Sora used, hoping he was near it. He had tracked down the Nobody they needed to complete the process. Who knew how long she would remain there?

,,,,,,,,,

Sora stepped onto the ship and sighed when he saw the light flashing. He really didn’t want to deal with DiZ, but at least it was an already recorded message. He still felt off balance from the fight he didn’t remember and then feeding from Jane. He had been planning to go see Merlin but he had the feeling that was going to be put on hold…

He stared at the image of what seemed to be Kairi with black hair, dressed in an Organisation coat, and there was a name too, Xion, member number XIII. This was the attempt of making a replica of him that had gone wrong, at least from the Organisations plans. She was made from their memories, so what would she be like? Like Kairi? Or a girl version of them?

He groaned when he saw the location, hoping no one else was there or things could get very complicated. Sora didn’t know what he was going to do or say, he couldn’t just knock her out and kidnap her, could he? Who knew what DiZ would do to her in his hatred of Nobodies. He knew DiZ had implicated that she had to die but he couldn’t do it, could he? Not even to bring Riku back? He couldn’t have before but now…he thought maybe he could.

He arrived to see a figure in black collapse, enhanced hearing catching the cry of pain. Was this was what he had meant by her being unstable? He rushed towards the small island, freezing in shock as she suddenly became him as he had been before the Islands fell…then changed again to Riku. He…or she, cried out, body convulsing, and Sora made himself move, carefully pulling what looked like Riku into his arms, searching for a pulse. Her form shifted between the two of them and Kairi before finally settling back to the black haired verson. Sora stayed as he was, holding her, not sure what to do.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xion stood on the beach of an Island that felt so familiar. She could remember Riku with two other children on the beach, playing. She shook her head and then knelt to pick up a seashell, smiling as she put it to her ear.

Everything was changing and she was confused. Axel…she thought Axel was keeping secrets from her, weren’t they best friends? She knew many in the Organisation didn’t like her, especially Saïx. The things he called her…was it true? Was she really a puppet and not real, or as real as a Nobody was? Was that why she didn’t remember anything? Why she kept seeing those three?

Surely they wouldn’t do anything, they had lost too many members at Castle Oblivion to lose anyone else. Only Axel had returned alive but he would not speak of what happened there, to her at least. She didn’t really remember much from before his mission there, although she knew she’d been new to the Organisation. Part of her thought that maybe…she shouldn’t go back. But if she ran then she’d be running for her whole life, if caught she’d be destroyed or turned into a Dusk.

Xion looked around and saw a cloaked figure on the bridge to the smaller island. She gasped, unsure whether to run to or from whoever it was, instead watching as the figure walked to the small island and stopped. The figure was tall and skinny…

“Axel?” she called hesitantly, stepping onto the bridge, her own hood down.

They stood silent for a moment before the cloaked figure turned to face her. It took off its hood and Xion was taken aback. Something snapped in her mind and she saw silvery-blue hair that tugged at her memory, the figure far smaller than Axel.

The other Organisation member raised his hand. “Surely you must've known that this was going to happen,” he stated, and she stood, stunned.

“Why would I know?” another voice spoke and she turned to see a boy about her age approaching…Riku? He walked across the bridge and she backed away from him, onto the small island, keeping her distance from the stranger as well.

“Because, in your memory, you've been to a number of worlds before you came to this one.”

She stood frozen as they began to walk around her, their voices becoming one.

“And of course, in those worlds, the only beings you met were the dark kind.”

The world started to flash and fade, Xion clutching her head.

“That's all that's left in your heart, the darkest of memories.”

She fell to her knees in agony…what was happening?

“Your memories of home are gone…every one. That's a lie! I remember everyone from the islands!”

Xion continued to clutch her head in pain, trying not to sob from the intensity.

“They're my...my closest friends,” they kept speaking as one, making things even more confusing.

She collapsed onto her side, gasping, struggling to remain conscious.

“And who threw away those friends? Maybe it's your own actions you've forgotten.”

Her form wavered until it was Sora who lay in the sand, squirming in pain.

“It was you who destroyed your home!” the voice yelled.

Now it was Riku’s eyes that were wide in agony, his head throbbing. It felt like being torn apart and finally the pain ended in darkness.

_TBC…_


	15. ch15

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_And here ends the Days time period. Enjoy._

**Chapter 15**

Xion slowly woke, feeling arms supporting her, and she forced her eyes open, looking up into a hooded face. “Who am I? What am I...here for?” She pleaded brokenly, not knowing who it was who held her, or even if it was all in her head.

The other hesitated, but then lowered their hood, revealing a head of spiky brown hair and wide blue eyes that she knew from her dreams and memory flashes.

“Are you...”

“Sora,” he answered softly. “Riku’s friend.”

“Riku? You know Riku?” She asked shakily even as he moved away, letting her sit up on her own. That was the one name she knew from the dreams and memories, although she recognised the boy before her too, even if he looked older.

“Yeah.” He stood and offered her a hand to help her up.

“Thank you. You saved me...but I don't know why you did.”

“I guess I just felt like it,” he shrugged slightly, looking away, shifting…nervously?

“Sora, please... Tell me more…about Riku and that girl he's always with.” Why did she see them, all three of them, had she known them? Maybe she was real and had been their friend before becoming a Nobody?

“You mean Kairi,” he told her, looking back at her.

“Kairi... That's right. She's the one who looks so much like me,” Xion liked the name, maybe she was Kairi’s Nobody?

“To Riku, she's someone very special,” Sora smiled softly. “To me too.” The way he said it, Kairi was still around which meant no Nobody, and no mention of her or another girl she could have come from. Did that mean…

“It's just... I remember things about the three of them. But I'm nothing more than a puppet…am I?” she moved away from him to look at the ocean, it was so big… “Something that somebody created. So why would I have... their memories? Do you know where Riku is now?” she pleaded.

“That secret stays with me,” he answered, and she was surprised by the firm tone to his words.

“Why's that?” she turned to face him again.

“Xion...your memories...they really belong to Riku,” Sora walked away to lean against a bent tree, and she followed him.

“So you mean...I'm like a part of him?” She really wasn’t anything more than a puppet then and...it hurt. Why her?

“When his memories were scattered, some of them found their way inside you. Now, Riku has been put to sleep so that we can piece together his memory. Except...”

“You can't, because part of it is inside of me. That means...he can't wake up,” she stared at him in horror, hand pressed to her chest. The idea that her existence was keeping someone asleep was repulsive but there was nothing she could do about it.

“Yeah,” he whispered, staring at the sand. “But…if you go with me to Riku right now, we could give the memories inside you back to him.”

Something about the offer made her wary, how would they take the memories from her and put them back in Riku? “Do you hate me for taking your friend away from you?” she asked instead.

He shook his head, looking up at her, blue eyes intense. “No, it’s not your fault Xion. None of this is. Besides, you were originally made using date collected from me, it could have been my memories in you instead of his if things had gone even a little differently.”

“I'm sorry, but...I can't go with you. It's my friend…he needs me. And I need him too.” She had to go back, to Axel. Even if he was keeping secrets he was still her best friend.

Sora reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, offering a despondent smile. “Maybe... you should take some time and think about it. Figure out who really needs you more and where you belong,” he offered, surprising her. If Riku couldn’t wake without her, why let her go?

“How will I know where I belong, truly? I'm not sure I can promise you I'll come up with the right answer,” she warned him, and he laughed sadly.

“Well, the answer you come up with can't just be right for you. It has to be one that works best for everybody, you and your friends and everyone else. I know you’ll make the right choice because you’re part of all of us really. And your friend, he’s really lucky to have you.”

“I'll try,” she promised solemnly, what else could she do?

Sora nodded and pulled his hood up, walking away and into a Dark Corridor…how could he use those?

“Thank you, Sora,” she whispered, at least she had some answers now. She flipped her hood up and opened her own, heading back to the only home she could remember.

,,,,,,,,,

Naminé nodded to herself, relieved that Sora hadn’t done something he couldn’t undo. She knew DiZ had wanted Sora to end Xion but that wasn’t in Sora’s nature. Yes, he had changed since becoming a vampire…even more since his friends had gone to sleep, but his heart was still unchanged at the core. He was still Sora, just a bit…darker.

She just hoped that Xion made the right choice.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi walked onto the small island and towards their tree, pausing as she saw boot prints in the sand. They were very fresh and she looked around warily but she couldn’t see any sign of people still being there. The Organisation? So maybe Sora had been right and they were keeping an eye on her. She shivered and left the small island, waving as she spotted Wakka and Tidus rowing towards the pier, it was time for another lesson.

,,,,,,,,,

Sora looked himself over, curious. It felt strange to not feel his wings on his back, but wings weren’t much use under water. As far as he could tell, he looked the same as he had the last time he’d been in Atlantica. That was a relief, he’d been worried his form would have changed to something more…predatory.

He swam quickly through the ocean, searching for whatever had caused the trouble Mickey had reported, absently wondering what kind of aquatic creature the King would become. He avoided the Palace and areas where Ariel tended to explore, not in the mood to socialise after meeting Xion.

He really hoped she’d make the right choice but if she didn’t…he may have to do something he didn’t think he’d ever forgive himself for, but he would not leave her to DiZ’s mercy.

,,,,,,,,

Axel could tell something was on Xion’s mind but she wasn’t talking about it. He was worried about how Saïx would look at her whenever they passed each other.

“Hey, Axel,” she got his attention before taking a bite of her ice cream.

“Hmm?” Was she going to say what was bothering her?

“You know how you were talking the other day about how we all have pasts? When I sit here with you, it's weird... I get the strangest feeling I used to watch the sun set with somebody else. Or when I'm by the sea...” she took a seashell out of her pocket. “When I look at the water, and hear the waves lapping against the shore... it's almost like I can hear another voice.”

“So...you mean you remembered something?” That would be interesting, probably confusing for her though since Sora was male.

Xion shook her head. “No... It's not quite like that. Well, I dunno. Maybe these ARE memories... It just seems weird that they're mine.”

“Hey, don't ask me.”

“But you have memories, don't you?” She pushed, and he began to wonder just what she may have remembered.

“Yeah. Not that they've ever done me any good,” he shrugged as if unconcerned but he was, hoping she wouldn’t do something rather Sora-like and get in trouble. They needed her and her Keyblade too much to do anything drastic, right?

,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stood in the Pod Room, staring at the slumbering teen. “Riku...”

DiZ walked over to join her. “It appears we've truly come to a standstill. You still cannot retrieve the memories?

“No,” she admitted.

“This has gone on long enough,” he snapped. “Sora,” he called, turning to face the vampire who was watching from where he was leaning against the wall.

Sora always kept a very close eye on DiZ and he was fast enough that even from across the room he would be able to intercept the man. It was definitely comforting when he was there, not that DiZ had tried anything when he wasn’t.

“I think you know what needs to be done.”

“Right,” Sora nodded, but she could see the reluctance in his stance.

She didn’t blame him, she knew eventually she would have to return to Kairi but Xion did not actually come from either of them so what would happen to her? Would she truly die, cease to exist? Or would she live on within Riku due to his memories?

Sora glanced at her and she nodded, she would be fine. He turned and left the room, going to gather what he might need.

Naminé knew he was still struggling with feeding from that young woman, despite the fact that she had offered her blood. She was thankful to Jane for doing so, Sora would never be able to deal with the guilt of attacking someone…or worse.

,,,,,,,,,

“Fancy meeting you here.”

“Hi, Axel,” she looked up at him as he joined her on the ledge.

“Whew, I slept like a log,” he stretched, but then looked down at the streets below. “What's going on down there? Are the kids here on summer vacation? ...Nah, can't be. It's too early.”

“Summer vacation? What's that?” She asked, curious, and wanting the conversation to remain light. Part of her wanted to tell him about what was happening to her, about meeting Sora but…another part whispered that it would be dangerous.

“A dream come true, that's what, a whole month off.”

“A month!? I can't even figure out how to fill a day,” she admitted. Her first ever day off and she’d been unable to think of anything to do except practice.

“Well, they do get a little help. Their teachers dish out plenty of homework. Trust me, it's over before you can blink.”

“Hmm... I could deal with a week, maybe.”

“Most kids spend summer vacation just goofing off with their friends. They save the homework till the end and then help each other finish it.”

“That sounds fun, I guess,” she smiled.

“Yeah. I hadn't really thought about it much since becoming a Nobody. So how'd you spend the day?”

“Asks the guy who slept?” she teased.

“Hey, unlike you lazybones, I work myself pretty hard!”

“Hah, maybe you're just out of shape!” She was happy to laugh with him at that.

“Tomorrow, it's back to work.”

“Yeah...Hope we get another vacation soon.”

“Oh, before I forget... I might not see you again for a little while.”

“Why not?” She asked in alarm, she had stayed for him, despite her curiosity about Riku.

“They're sending me out on recon for a few days,” he shrugged.

“Where?”

“Can't tell.”

“What do you mean, "can't tell"?”

“It's classified.” He reached over and ruffled her hair.

“But I thought we were friends,” she pouted, even as she worried.

“Hey, I'm not about to tell you ALL my dark secrets. Got it memorized? I bet you keep a thing or two from me.”

“I don't have any dark secrets,” she denied, lying. Why couldn’t she tell him?

“Ha ha, relax, would ya? I'm kidding. I just gotta keep my mouth shut about it, or else Saïx will get on my case. You know how he gets.”

“Yeah,” she fought back a shudder at the mention of him.

“Try not to bungle everything while I'm gone,” he warned and it was playful, but there was something serious in his eyes.

,,,,,,,,,

“Hmph. What took you?” Saïx demanded as soon as he saw Axel.

“It's my vacation. I can take all the time I want. Since when do I have to check in with you?”

“You're letting yourself get too attached to her,” he warned. He had the feeling it was becoming unstable, it was a prototype and there hadn’t been enough data…

“Yes, sir, whatever you say,” Axel drawled with a mock salute.

Saïx turned around. “You've changed,” he told his childhood friend, but they weren’t human anymore and hadn’t been in a long time. They were simply working towards a common goal now, that was all. He left Axel and headed towards his own mission.

,,,,,,,,,

Xion arrived on the Bridge of Beast's Castle and saw Sora waiting for her, the hood of his coat thrown back. “Sora!”

She hadn’t wanted to leave, not while Axel was away, but in a way it meant they’d said goodbye and no one could blame him for her disappearance. She didn’t know how she’d known he’d be there but he was.

“Did you find the right answer?” he asked gently, sadness in his eyes.

“Yeah. I did. I'm on the verge of losing everything I ever cared about. I can't let that happen. Tell me what I need to do.” She knew she was getting worse, there was a reason she’d been keeping her hood up more. The pain when the memories came was horrible and she’d slipped up on several missions because of it.

“Go to Twilight Town. You'll find a girl there by the name of Naminé in the old Mansion.”

“Naminé? What's she like?” She had to see someone else? Why wasn’t Sora going with her?

“You'll find out. I don't think you'll have much trouble tracking her down,” he smiled and then shocked her by wrapping an arm around her shoulders, holding her close for a few seconds. “I’ll keep the Organisation chasing their own tails for as long as I can,” he promised, explaining why he wasn’t coming.

“All right. Thanks, Sora... Goodbye...” she opened a Corridor.

“It’s not goodbye, not yet,” he called as she entered it.

That was good to know.

,,,,,,,,

Kairi walked down the path to the beach after school, wishing Sora would come again.

“Kairi! Wait up!”

She stopped and turned around as Selphie caught up to her.

“Hey, do you feel like going out to the island? Tidus and Wakka are all wrapped up in their ballgame and they won't go with me,” Selphie pouted.

“Not today, sorry,” Kairi denied, she’d been avoiding the Play Island since she’d found the boot prints.

“Aw, why not?”

“Do you remember those boys who used to hang out with us?” Did anyone remember Riku yet? She remembered more now then she had and she truly did miss him, she couldn’t wait to see him again, to fully remember him.

“Sora?”

“Yeah,” that answered that question then.

“I wonder whatever happened to him. I sure miss him.”

“He's far away. But I know we'll see him again,” she smiled softly. All of the search parties had come up empty handed, leaving most to assume he was dead, and she wished she could tell his parents something without sounding crazy.

“Sure. Of course we will.” It was obvious Selphie didn’t believe it.

“And the other boy?” Kairi pushed.

“What other boy?”

“The one who was with Sora and me all the time, we played together on that island. His voice always used to be there...but now it's gone. It’s almost like he never existed, but he did.”

Selphie looked at her in confusion. “Are you sure you didn't make him up?”

The two girls stopped walking as they reached the beach, looking to the island across the water. Kairi looked over at Selphie and smiled widely. She then ran to the beach, Selphie rushing to catch up.

“Kairi...?”

Kairi placed her bag down and pulled out a bottle with a rolled up piece of paper inside. She took off her shoes and socks, wading in to release the bottle where it could be dragged out to sea.

“What's that?”

“A letter... I wrote it yesterday, to the boy I can't fully remember. I said that no matter where he is... I'll find him. One day. And when I stopped writing, I remembered the three of us made a promise, something important. This letter is where it starts. I know it.”

“Wow... I hope he gets it,” Selphie offered and at least she wasn’t calling her crazy.

“He will. Starts with an ‘R’,” she told Selphie who shook her head and headed back to the road. “Right, Riku?” she whispered, wondering if somehow, he would know she was thinking of him. How much longer did she have to wait?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel sighed, not sure whether or not to report what he’d learnt. It wasn’t like he knew for sure, the person hadn’t lowered their hood after all, and yet…he was positive the fake Organisation member that had been sighted a few times…was none other than Sora. How was that possible? The kid he’d watched in the Castle and then fought a battle beside hadn’t been able to open Dark Corridors. What had happened since then to enable him to? Did it matter?

What made everything worse, Xion was gone. She’d just never returned from her mission a few days ago apparently, he’d been on recon so hadn’t known. Did she leave then so that he wouldn’t be able to stop her? He picked up the item he’d found on his windowsill, wishing she’d just come to him as he stared at the ice cream stick with the word WINNER on it.

,,,,,,,,,

Sora wanted to be at the mansion, to make sure things went okay with Xion, but the Organisation would be looking for her. So he needed to give them someone to chase. He was taller and more muscular than her, but from a distance it wouldn’t be so noticeable. Then again, they were also after the ‘imposter’ after he’d been seen in the coat so either way, he’d have their attention. He would buy the others as much time as he could, he just hoped he didn’t have to face Axel, for Xion’s sake and because the guy didn’t seem like the others.

,,,,,,,,,,

“Xion has vanished again,” Xemnas announced, hidden gaze taking them all in.

“Do we know where she is?” Xaldin asked.

“’It, not ‘she.’ Xion is just a Replica...a puppet,” he explained, it was time they all knew the truth about their thirteenth member.

“Puppet? Someone made her?” Luxord actually looked up from his cards.

“Puppets generally don't make themselves,” Saïx helpfully pointed out.

“The Replica Program was one of our little pet projects,” Xigbar shrugged.

“Replica whatza?” Demyx looked around in confusion, why had he ever recruited him?

“Perhaps you'd care to enlighten us about this ‘pet project’,” Xaldin looked his way from his throne.

“The goal was to duplicate the Keyblade wielder's memories, and through them, his powers, thus making them our own. Vexen oversaw the project at Castle Oblivion. However, our efforts were severely derailed by his unexpected demise. And this particular Replica, the one we called Xion, came to form an identity of her own,” Xemnas explained. It was somewhat puzzling considering how little data had been retrieved on Sora. No…there was something they were all forgetting which pointed to Naminé’s involvement.

“That caught us off guard. If anything like that happened before, no one at Castle Oblivion ever reported it. Did they Axel?” Saïx looked to the redhead who looked bored but remained silent.

“Fortunately, the puppet has no means of dashing our plans now, even if she has learned to pull her own strings. Still, she knows our secrets. We need to shorten her leash... And perhaps tighten it,” he looked them over and then at Axel. “Axel. Seeing as how she is your ‘friend’, the onus is on you to capture her and return her here. I am willing to overlook and nicks and scratches. Just ensure she still functions on arrival.”

Xaldin shook his head. “Why you would allow a deserter back under our roof... She should be eradicated!”

"’Deserter’ is hardly the term for a broken specimen who wandered out from under the microscope,” Saïx scoffed.

“Axel, you have your orders. Dismissed,” he ordered and then left. Either Axel obeyed or was punished and someone else retrieved her.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey fell into a fighting stance as a figure in an Organisation coat appeared out of a Corridor and into the forest, but then the hands were held up in surrender before moving to lower the hood. “Sora!” he called in sheer relief. It had been far too long since he’d seen the boy, although he knew the teen had been by the mansion several times.

“Mickey,” Sora smiled slightly.

“Are you okay?”

“Just leading the Organisation on a merry chase to buy Naminé the time she needs to finish.”

“Then it’s almost time?” he asked, hoping so, he wanted his friends back! He could remember more of the boy in the pod now but not quite everything.

Thankfully, Sora nodded. “Some of his memories were absorbed by another Replica, but she’s at the mansion now.”

“I’m very glad to hear it. You’re being careful though?”

“Of course,” Sora grinned, and Mickey smiled back, that was the happiest he had seen him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The curtains in the White Room gently swayed as two young girls sat at a long white table. The girl in black removed her hood hesitantly.

“Nice to meet you...Xion.”

“Naminé, you can see my face?” she asked fearfully.

Naminé nodded solemnly. “Yes.”

“What do you think I should do?” Xion was scared, which was ridiculous, wasn’t it? She didn’t have a heart to feel scared with.

“What do you want to do?”

Xion looked over at the sketch of her and Axel hanging on the wall. “I thought I knew at first. I wanted me and Axel to be together forever. But then I started to realize these memories don't belong to me,” she admitted, hating to have abandoned the one person who always looked out for her.

“That's because you're Kairi. At least, the Kairi that Riku and even Sora to a point, remembers.”

“The more I remember, the more I feel like I'm in the wrong place...like... Like I need to go back,” she admitted, staring down at the table top.

“Back to Riku?”

Xion nodded miserably. She didn’t want to though, even though she felt like she had to.

“If you return your memories to him, you'll disappear. And since everything about you was built on those memories...no one will remember you when you're gone. There won't be any "you" to remember. I can't save you, Xion…even a memory of you.”

“I know. I'm ready. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.” Her hands were shaking but she had made her choice.

“If you're ready, let's go see Riku,” Naminé smiled and stood, holding out her hand.

A Dark Corridor appeared and Xion leapt to her feet, ready to fight, but a man in odd clothing appeared…she’d been hoping it was Sora.

“Naminé, they've found us! They are on their way! That blasted puppet led them right to our doorstep! See what you get for trusting it?” he snarled, and she swallowed but stood her ground, chin lifting.

“I'll get rid of them!” she told him and then took off, if it was her fault they’d been found then she had to fix it.

“No! Xion...”Naminé called after her but she kept going, leaving the mansion to search for intruders.

Another Corridor opened and Axel emerged, both freezing as they stared at each other. “Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?” he asked softly.

“Axel...”

“Xion...what are you gonna do?” he asked, and she knew what he wanted her to say, but she couldn’t.

She hadn’t wanted this to happen! He wasn’t meant to see her again. “I've decided that I have to go back to where I belong.”

“Well, to be honest, I always felt that was best, right from the very beginning. But you know, it still really bugs me. Something about this just stinks,” he answered and she was shocked, had he known what she was all the time? Then why befriend her? He clenched his fist in anger.

“It's for the good of everyone,” she told him, and he scoffed.

“But how do you know that? Everybody thinks they're right...”

“This is right,” she insisted. She’d give Riku back his memories and everyone would forget her.

“They're gonna destroy you!” he yelled only to gasp as she summoned her Keyblade.

“Please don't hold back, Axel. Promise.”

Axel just gaped at her, obviously struggling. “What's your problem? You ...think you can do whatever you want. Well, I'm sick of it. Go on, you just keep running. But I'll always be there to bring you back!” He summons hied chakrams and she readied herself.

Fighting Axel was so hard but she had to make him do it, she would not go back to the Organisation. They fought for what felt like forever and in the end she collapsed, barely conscious.

“Man... Why you always gotta...cause me...trouble...” Axel gasped out before collapsing as well.

A Dark Corridor opened and Xion forced her eyes open to see the strange man from before and Naminé… he moved over to Axel but then another Corridor appeared and Sora was there.

“DiZ,” he snapped at the man.

“You would defend this Nobody?”

“He helped me, I owe him,” was the answer, and Xion was relieved….Sora would keep Axel safe…

,,,,,,,,

Sora looked over to see Xion’s eyes fall closed even as Naminé knelt over her. He knelt down and quickly used a potion on Axel to deal with the worst of his wounds before lifting him up, it was awkward due to the height difference. “I’ll be back in a minute, I’ll leave him somewhere that should keep their eyes off this place a little longer.”

“You assume he won’t tell them?”  
  


“For Xion he won’t and once he forgets her, he won’t remember you’re here,” Sora pointed out and then carried Axel into a Corridor, carefully leaving him concealed behind some shrubs in Wonderland. He knelt down and gave him another potion. “I’m sorry, but there’s no other way,” he whispered before leaving.

He quickly made his way back to the mansion, finding DiZ and the still unconscious Xion in the basement where his computers were. He didn’t understand how the machines were helping, he didn’t do computer. He frowned when he realised Xion was slumped under something. “What is this?”

“We need a way to keep Xion concealed from the Organisation. I will send her into a digital reconstruction of the town to do so.

“Will it work?” Sora asked warily, how could you send someone into a computer?

“If we can maintain the simulated town until Naminé finishes chaining together Riku's memories.”

“What will happen to Xion?” He asked sadly, wishing there was some way to change her fate.

“In the end, she'll have to give back everything that she has taken from Riku,” he walked towards the monitors. “Until then, she'll need another personality to throw off her pursuers.”

“It’s not fair,” Sora knelt down in front of her, reaching out to brush her hair back from her face. She’d come to them in the end, had agreed to the process, but she hadn’t agreed to this!

DiZ sat down and punched in some keys. “It's the fate of a Nobody or Replica.”

The machine started up, Sora leaping back, watching as Xion was changed into data and vanished. “Good luck,” he whispered because what else could he do? He didn’t know what they were doing exactly, had no way to help speed the process or anything.

He left, heading for the pod room to check on Riku and let him know what was going on. Even floating, Sora could tell Riku had grown, his pants were too short now, and his hair had grown even longer, falling part way down his back. Kairi was going to have fun cutting that.

“You’d like Xion, I wish you two could meet. You’ll wake up soon now that she’s here but…” he sighed and leant against the pod. “Please wake up Riku.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xion woke in her bedroom and stretched before sitting up to look out her window at Twilight Town. “Another dream about him...”

She heard the bells ring at the Clock Tower and opened the window to watch the eternal sunset for a few minutes before getting up to dress for the day. She grabbed some food and took off, running through the streets.

“Maybe...today we'll finally hit the beach!” She ran into the back alley, heading for the Usual Spot, happy to see her friends but also sad. There were only seven days left before summer vacation was over.

_TBC…_

_Since she didn’t fight Roxas to the death and I couldn’t see Sora killing her I figured they would use the same method to keep her safe as they did Roxas while putting the memories back where they belong._


	16. ch16

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 16**

“Man, doesn't that tick you off?” Hayner growled as he paced the Usual Spot.

Xion watched from her spot on the couch, not able to get as worked up over it as he obviously was.

“Yeah, that's just wrong,” Pence eagerly agreed. They had a point, no one liked being blamed for something they hadn’t done.

“Seifer's gone too far this time,” Olette shook her head, before they all glanced at Xion who just nodded in agreement.

“I mean, it's true that stuff's been stolen around town. And we've got a score to settle with Seifer and everything. So if he wants to think we did it, I can't really blame him. See...that's not what really bugs me. What really bugs me is that he's goin' around tellin' everybody we're the thieves! Now the whole town and their mothers are treating us like the Klepto Club! Have you ever been this ticked off before in your life? 'Cause I haven't. Nuh-uh, never. Now...what to do,” Hayner was just getting more worked up and Olette shifted uncomfortably.

“Um, well... We could find the real thieves. That would set the record straight,” Xion suggested.

“Hey that sounds fun!” Pence grinned at her, obviously exited by the idea.

“What about Seifer?” Hayner complained, crossing his arms as Xion stood.

“First, we have to clear our names. Once we find the real culprit, everyone will know the truth and stop blaming us,” she told him.

“Oh no! They're gone!” Pence’s cry had them all looking over to where he was holding his camera. “Our___are gone!” he put a hand to his throat, eyes wide when he couldn’t say the word. “What?”

It wasn’t just him, none of them could say the word.

“Stolen... And not just the___. The word _____! They stole it too!” Xion was very confused, stealing an object she could understand, but an actual word?

“What kinda thief is that? Seifer could never have pulled that off.”

“Yeah!” Pence agreed with Hayner.

“All right, time for some recon!” Hayner called and they rushed off.

Xion began to follow but was suddenly overcome by a wave of dizziness. “Huh?” she collapsed to the ground, blacking out.

_‘His heart is returning. Doubtless he'll awaken very soon.’_

Xion startled awake, confused to find herself on the ground. She scrambled up, dusting off her dark blue pants skirt as she did. “Huh?” she shook her head and nearly jumped when Olette returned.

“Xion, come on,” he friend called and Xion nodded, following her.

Who was that voice?

,,,,,,,,,,

Xion followed the strange white…thing through the hole in the Tram Common wall and ended up in the woods, hesitating to continue on alone. It continued through the forest, dancing around the trees as if it wanted Xion to follow it. She took a deep breath and did so, ending up outside the Old Mansion. There were a lot of rumours about the place and being there made her nervous.

_‘We have come for you, my liege._ ’

The words seemed to appear in her head and she jerked back a step, eyes wide. “What?” She watched in horror as the strange zipper on its head opened. She tightened her hold on the struggle bat and then lunged in, attacking, but she couldn’t inflict any damage even when she did manage to connect. “It's no use...”

Xion gasped and looked down at the bat, watching as something swirled around it. “What?” in place of the bat was the worlds largest key. “What...what is this thing?”

Xion looked from the white creature to the Key, and decided to try again. This time, she succeeded and the creature vanished, dropping the pictures from the camera. The Key in Xion's hand disappeared once that happened, leaving her free to pick up the dropped photos.

With a last look around, she took off running for the Usual Spot, panting by the time she arrived, shoving the photos into Hayner’s hand.

“What's this?” he asked as he looked at the top one.

“I was his first customer after he took over the shop. So we took a picture together,” she explained as the others crowded around.

Olette smiled. “It's a really nice photo. Oh...!”

“Hey! You just said "photo"!” Pence grinned, all of them relieved.

“So, Xion, tell us about the picture thief,” Hayner pushed, and she shrugged, not really sure what to say without sounding crazy.

“Not much to say. The pictures were just lying there,” she lied in the end.

“Then how do we prove we weren't the ones who took 'em?” Hayner asked before spotting the next picture, chuckling. “It's a boy...” he teased.

“You look happy, Xion,” Olette gushed, and Xion tried not to blush.

“Do not,” she denied.

“So, like, anybody else notice that all the stolen pictures are of Xion?” Pence pointed out as they looked through them.

“Ohh. So that's why everyone thought it was us,” Olette winced, it made sense.

“You mean Seifer didn't go around accusing us after all?” Hayner was almost pouting at losing a reason to fight his rival.

“Are they really all of me?” she asked in shock.

“Yep,” Pence held out the one he was holding. “See? Every single one. Wouldn't it be weird if the thief wanted to steal the real Xion or something?” Pence suggested and Hayner rolled his eyes, elbowing him gently.

“C'mon, get serious. Why would anyone wanna steal a bonehead like Xion?”

“Oh, thanks!” she crossed her arms and glared at Hayner, best friend or not, that was not nice.

They then all burst out laughing even as a train passed overhead. They all looked up at the tracks, knowing that that train arriving meant it was time to head home. Hayner, Pence, and Olette left the Usual Spot, Olette waving and Xion waved in return.

Xion sat on the couch for a while, trying to make sense of the day, but left after a bit. She held up her hand to block the sun from her eyes and then heard a voice.

_‘Where...am I?’_

“Who's there?” She demanded, looking around, but she was alone.

_‘Who are you?’_

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora approached DiZ, wondering at the suddenly heightened activity in the room. “What happened?” he asked.

“Organization miscreants... They've found us,” the man answered, and Sora grimaced. DiZ showed him what had happened and that just confused him.

“But...why would the Nobodies steal photographs?” What was the point to that? To get Xion alone?

“Both are nothing but data to them. The fools could never tell the difference,” he scoffed. “We are running out of time, Naminé must make haste,” DiZ glanced at Sora, and he nodded, leaving to tell her .

He found her sitting on the floor with her back to Riku’s pod, drawing. He sat down beside her and she shifted to lean against him. “The Organisation breached the data town,” he murmured, not wanting to disturb the peaceful quiet.

“I know,” she admitted. “DiZ will need to send you in for a little while, wear your coat so no one sees your face,” she warned, and Sora nodded.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, lifting his hand to run through her hair.

“Something’s….coming, something bad. Not the Organisation but… I can’t see far enough,” she admitted, obviously frustrated.

“Hey, you’re not a Seer, Naminé. It’s not your job to see the future.”

“But”

“Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it when it happens, okay?” he wouldn’t let her know her words had worried him. “At least we have that much warning, most people don’t get that much.”

She nodded slowly, relaxing at his words, and he was glad. He knew the Organisation wasn’t the only threat out there, not to their group anyway. So long as She existed, Sora would live with the threat of her finding and claiming him…and he feared for anyone with him when that happened. Then there would be anyone who learned the truth about him and saw him as a monster. Any other threats that Keyblade bearers had to deal with…the list could end up very long.

,,,,,,,,,,,

“All present and accounted for?” Hayner asked as Xion rushed up to them.

“What've we got?” Pence held out his own wages.

“Let's see,” she pulled out her own funds, holding them out to Hayner. “Just this.”

“Good job,” he praised, and Xion smiled.

“Nice work, everyone,” Olette short her a wink, and Xion looked away, Hayner was only her friend. “Added to what we started with, we now have...” Olette showed them the Munny pouch she made with the Munny inside it. “Tada! 5000 Munny!”

“Sweet!” Hayner cheered.

Olette handed the bag to Xion. “Let's get tickets!” She and Pence ran ahead into the station.

“We can't be together forever... so we'd better make the time we do have something to remember,” Hayner murmured, and Xion looked over at him.

“Huh?” what had made him say that?

“Gotcha!” Hayner jokingly ruffled Xion’s short hair before joining the other two.

Xion smoothed her hair down and went to follow tripped on something she didn’t see. “Whoa!”

A small stick dropped to the ground. Hayner, Pence, and Olette stopped, Hayner

stepping back a bit down the stairs.

Xion gasped slightly, coming back up to her knees and touching her lip, relieved to find no blood. She looked up to see someone in a black cloak standing beside her. “What?”

The person carefully pulled her to her feet and leant in to whisper. “Do you remember Riku?”

“What?” She asked again in confusion.

“Xion! Three minutes!” Hayner yelled, distracting her.

“Okay!” Xion looked back to the figure, who was gone. She blinked in confusion but then ran to catch up with her friends in the station.

Hayner leant down the teller and holds out four fingers. “Four students!”

“Xion, the money!” Pence called.

“Wait…” Xion searched the pockets in her white jacket for where she’d put the pouch. Why had Olette given it to her anyway? “No!”

“Huh?” Hayner turned from the ticket counter to look at her.

Xion looked back out toward the plaza and remembered the cloaked person picking her up. “He took it!” She went to run back to the plaza, incensed that some guy had picked her pocket!

“Where are you going?” Olette called after her.

“Remember when I fell? I had the money before that. I bet that guy took it!” she answered.

“Guy?” Hayner frowned at her.

“He couldn't have gotten too far...” she offered, it was all her fault, they were going to miss the train.

“What are you talking about?” Hayner asked, and she frowned at him. “There was no guy.”

“Huh? But he... There wasn't... Really?”

The train whistle blew and they realised they'd missed it. Xion felt horrible, if only she’d realised what was happening when he pulled her up. But then…why hadn’t Hayner seen him?

“Oh boy...” Pence muttered, kicking the ground despondently.

“There wasn't anyone...there?” she whispered but followed them away from the station.

,,,,,,,,,

“Naminé, hurry,” DiZ muttered as he worked, the progress bar had moved since Xion had been sent into the simulated town thankfully.

Sora leant against the wall behind him, juggling the Munny pouch he’d taken from Xion. “Is it really that hard to make a beach?” he asked, genuinely curious sounding. The boy did seem utterly clueless when it came to most technology…and yet he was an excellent pilot, rather odd.

“We'd be giving the enemy another entry point,” he explained. Nobodies had already infiltrated the world once, they didn’t need to give them more areas to sneak in through.

“And this?”

DiZ glanced around to see the Munny pouch. “We can always buy some sea-salt ice cream,” he laughed, hearing Sora juggle the pouch again. “Objects from that town must be kept out of the real world. You can delete that,” he explained, hearing the juggling stop.

He honestly did not understand the boy, then again he was a teenager and they were rather temperamental and prone to irrationality. Still, his attachment to Naminé and Xion was highly confusing. Sora knew what they were and yet he treated them as if they were actually real people.

,,,,,,,,,

Naminé hesitated, she knew what she was considering would anger DiZ, but she glanced over at Sora who looked up, sensing her appraisal. He cocked his head to the side, curious, and then his eyes widened and he nodded, leaving the room to keep DiZ occupied. She wished…she shook her head, it was impossible, and yet she would also receive her wish once she re-joined Kairi.

For now, she wanted to speak with Xion while DiZ was occupied.

,,,,,,,

Xion felt bad that they’d missed out on the beach because of her, but she couldn’t have left Seifer and the others to fight those white things alone. Then there was that girl…Naminé …there was something familiar about her. The odd man with her had been the voice she’d heard the other day…and then the pickpocket had shown up! He had remained quiet, had pushed her through some kind of portal...but once again he’d been gentle. What was going on?

,,,,,,,,,

Xion panted for air, the last of the white things vanishing, but everyone was still frozen.

“Xion. All right. Fight, fight, fight,” an unfamiliar voice called, and she looked over to see a man walking towards her. He was dressed identically to the pickpocket but it wasn’t him, this one was taller. “You really don't remember? It's me. You know, Axel,” he removed his hood to reveal flaming red hair, green eyes, and odd marking just below his eyes.

“Axel?” she asked in confusion, why did he think she knew him?

“Talk about blank with a capital "B." Man oh man, even the Dusks aren't gonna crack this one,” he muttered, confusing her even more. She gasped as flaming weapons appeared and he caught them.

“Wait a sec, tell me what's going on!” She demanded, backing up a step.

“This town is his creation, right? Which means we don't have time for a Q & A. You're coming with me, conscious or not. Then you'll hear the story,” he answered, getting ready to fight. A strange presence flew around Xion and Axel straightened up. “Uh-oh.”

Xion sighed and looked at the Key before throwing it down in frustration. “What's going ON!?” she yelled even as it appeared in her hand again with a flash of light.

“Number 13. Xion. The Keyblades' chosen one,” Axel said, which made no sense at all to her, readying to fight again.

“Okay, fine! You asked for it!” She snapped, gripping the…Keyblade?

“That's more like it!” he laughed as flames surrounded them.

How was any of this possible? She shook those thoughts off, dodging his attack, Keyblade clashing against his fiery weapons. She twisted and dodged as much as she could, taking a hit from him hurt! Finally, she saw an opening and slashed across his chest, forcing him back.

Axel panted, leaning over slightly. “Not bad, Xion.”

Why did that praise make her heart warm? Who was he to her? How could he know her if she didn’t know him. Or…had she forgotten?

The man appeared and she backed up, keeping them both in sight.

“So it was you,” Axel commented, obviously recognising him and not liking him. Axel sent his weapons flying but they were stopped before hitting the man.

“Xion, this man speaks nonsense!”

“Xion, don't let him deceive you!” Axel called, his tone…pleading?

“Xion!”

“Xion!”

Their voices overlapped…too loud! She clutched her head, eyes closed, shaking. It felt like something trying to tear her apart! “Hayner...Pence...Olette...” she whispered desperately. Her friends were real, this wasn’t. “Hayner! Pence! Olette!” she yelled for them.

The Struggle competition suddenly returned, the crowd cheering once again at Xion's defeat of Vivi.

“What? What just happened?” The Announcer asked in shock.

“Huh? ...How did I get here?” Vivi looked at her, obviously confused, but then he wandered off the stage as Hayner, Olette, and Pence rushed up.

“Xion!” Olette. grabbed her in a hug.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Xion - our new top Struggler!”

,,,,,,,,

“Was that really necessary?” Sora glared at DiZ.

“If you had gone, Axel would have recognised you once you spoke,” he pointed out. “The idea is for the coat to hide your identity. And we could not afford for him to tempt Xion into going with him.”

Sora knew that, but it still seemed cruel to him. He wished Xion could be saved but she had agreed to let the memories return to Riku.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi lay in her bed, muffling her tears in her pillow. Riku…oh Riku… She could see him clearly now in her memories even if she couldn’t really hear him. That didn’t stop her seeing how he changed and it broke her heart. If only they had known what was happening to him…but how could they have? Sora seemed positive that Riku was free now, back to himself. She just hoped that restoring his memories didn’t have any bad effects.

She just had to keep telling herself that they’d be home and safe soon.

,,,,,,,,,,

Axel was frustrated, he knew Xion had been close to agreeing to go with him. If only that man hadn’t interfered… he had his orders, if he couldn’t bring her in …no, she was his best friend, he couldn’t kill her…could he? If he failed, he would become a Dusk or be destroyed himself, neither fate something he wanted. So what else could he do?

Someone had moved him away from Twilight Town when he was unconscious… who? Had it been Sora? An enemy would have just ended him while he was vulnerable, but they’d fought side by side and that would mean something to someone like the kid. Maybe…he’d be willing to help him save Xion? How would he take learning she had been made form data collected form him? Axel didn’t think he’d hate her for it, maybe it’d make him more willing to help. But how to find him?

Xion had said she needed to go back….back to Sora? But he seemed fine without what had been used to make her. She’d just been struggling with learning where she came from, that was all. He’d get her back and it would be fine.

_TBC…_


	17. ch17

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 17**

Xion stared up at the mansion, it had been a very weird day, not that the others had noticed. But there had been something off at each of the ‘wonders’.

“Well, they say there's a girl who appears at the second floor window even though no one's lived here for years,” Pence explained what they were looking for.

Xion looked back up to the window. Inside, there was a white room with a long table and pictures on the walls, everything but the colours in the pictures was white. One of the pictures focused on Kairi with a Paopu fruit.

_“Xion...”_

_“Naminé?” she asked and then she was standing in the room with the other girl._

_One of the pictures is of Xion and Axel, both in the Organization cloaks, and Xion stared at it. “This is...me? ...And Axel's here too.”_

_“You ARE best friends...”_

_“Very funny,” Xion shook her head, not believing her._

_“Don't you want to know the truth about who you really are?” Naminé asked, and Xion frowned._

_She knew who she was, she was Xion. “No one knows me better than me.”_

_“Of course...”_

_“But...I don't get what's been happening lately,” she admitted softly, seeing another picture, this one of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, and another of Riku and Kairi._

_“You know them all, don't you?” Naminé asked gently._

_“Yeah. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, and Kairi. They're from the dreams.”_

_“About a year ago, some things happened, and I had to take apart the memories chained together in Riku’s heart. But now... I'm putting them all back exactly the way they were. It's taken me a long time, but pretty soon Riku will be his old self again. The process has been affecting you, too, Xion.”_

_“You mean...the dreams?” She asked and Naminé nodded._

_“Yes... You, Riku, and Sora are connected. And...in order for Riku to become completely whole again... He needs you.”_

_Xion saw a picture of herself with Riku and frowned. “Me? What for?”_

_“You hold part of what he is... He needs you, Xion. The memories from Sora you hold are not an issue, he is fine, but without you, Riku will never regain who he is.”_

_“Naminé?” She was so confused but she sat when Naminé motioned for her to, sitting at opposite ends of the long table. “Naminé...who are you?”_

_“I'm a witch with power over the memories of those connected to Sora.”_

_“A witch?” That was crazy!_

_“That's what DiZ called me. But I don't know why I have this power...I just do. I'm not even sure there's a right way for me to use it,” Naminé admitted._

_“Hmm...I can't help you there.” She glanced over at the picture of her and Axel. “It's funny... suddenly I feel like I don't know myself at all... I guess I would like to know. What do you know about me...that I don't?”_

_“You...you were never supposed to exist, Xion.”_

_“What...? How could you say such a thing...even if it were true?” Xion demanded shakily. Not meant to exist? How could that be?_

_“I'm sorry. I guess some things really are better left unsaid,” Naminé looked away, ashamed._

“Xion! Xion!”

“Huh?” Xion blinked, finding she was being shaken by a worried Pence.

“Did you see her?” he asked.

“Yeah. Watch the window closely,” she pointed up at the window, but Naminé was gone.

“Oh, lame. That's just the curtains moving. There must be a draft somewhere. I'm surprised this old place even has curtains,” he groaned, looking away.

Xion stared up at where Naminé had returned to the window, their eyes meeting briefly before Xion looked away. “Yeah.”

“Well, let's head back to the usual spot. Hayner and Olette are waiting.”

,,,,,,,,,

Naminé watched Xion and the boy leave before moving away from the window. She had messed that up. It was too soon to tell Xion she was not meant to exist, but they were running out of time. Once Xion remembered the truth, then everything could be finished. She just…wished it didn’t have to end, that Xion could live happily with her friends forever. Was there some way to save her in the data?

,,,,,,,

“Why did you show her the train?” Sora asked, wondering why he had let Xion see it.

“Because she missed the trip to the beach,” DiZ answered from the large wooden chair he was sitting in, the low light in the room not giving Sora any trouble but the man had to be struggling.

“That's almost kind of you,” Sora admitted suspiciously, since when did DIZ do anything nice for either girl?

“And you have let yourself become too close to them,” DiZ warned him.

Sora didn’t care, it didn’t cost him anything to be kind, to be a friend. He liked them both and would gladly be their friend for life, if that was only possible.

“The haze over the memories of Riku is fading; very soon, to those who know him, he'll be like a good friend who's gone away for a year.”

“I've waited, and now I want to know. What do you want? Why help Riku?” he demanded, watching DiZ closely.

DiZ studied him before answering. “Revenge.”

“Revenge...”

Against whom and for what? Revenge was not generally a good thing to be aiming for, it opened the heart to Darkness.

“Now, for the finishing touches. First, we must dispose of Naminé. She did a splendid job with Riku, but it's high time she disappeared. Xion isn't the only one who was never meant to exist. Take care of it, Sora,” DiZ smirked, and Sora stiffened.

He took a deep breath to keep from biting his head off…literally. “I’m not your attack dog,” he barely fought back a growl. “I won’t just kill because you think it needs to happen. Naminé comes from Kairi, fine, that doesn’t mean she needs to die to go back. You want her gone, she’ll be gone,” he snarled the last and left the room to find Naminé. He needed to get her out of Twilight Town before DiZ decided to act himself.

,,,,,,,,,,,

“I know Sora, but I can’t leave yet,” Naminé said before he could speak. “DiZ won’t act, not yet.” The thought that he had wanted Sora to destroy her… it scared her, but she knew Sora would never do it. She looked at the vampire and he opened his arms, letting her fall into them, hugging her. She would miss Sora hugs. She gasped and he let go.

“What is it?’

“Axel is coming.”

,,,,,,,

Hayner, Olette, and Pence were already in the Usual Spot when Xion arrived, the three chatting away.

She smiled at them and walked towards them. “”I couldn’t sleep last night,” she admitted but they didn’t act as if they’d heard her. “Guys?” She reached toward Hayner and her hand went right through him. She stumbled back in shock, watching them laugh with no indication they were aware of her.

Hayner turned around and ran right through her, Pence and Olette following. Xion stopped and sighed, her eyes closing for a second. She picked up a picture nearby which showed Hayner, Olette, and Pence, but not her, despite the fact she remembered it showing the four of them. Xion left the Usual Spot and was cornered by the white creatures, and then Axel appeared.

“Look at what it's come to. I've been given these icky orders to destroy you…if you refuse to come back with me,” he told her and she backed up.

“We're...best friends, right?” she asked, trying to sound confident in her words. He didn’t look familiar outside of Naminé’s artwork.

Axel scratched his head. “Sure...but I'm not getting turned into a Dusk for...Wait a sec! You

remember now!?” his eyes widened in surprise and hope.

“Y...eah,” she lied nervously. She wished she did, wished she could, seeing how hopeful he was.

“Great! But, you know, gotta make sure and all. So, umm... What's our boss's name?” he asked, excited, but she couldn’t answer, and Axel sighed sadly. “Can't believe this...”

Xion swallowed but stood her ground and the Keyblade appeared in her hand, letting her fight and defeat the white ones around her. Axel watched her but as soon as they were gone, he swung up his weapon to strike, and froze. Xion noticed and stopped.

_“Xion, to the mansion! The time has come!”_

“Hayner! Pence! Olette!” she yelled, but this time nothing happened, the world remaining frozen. Xion turned and ran, confused and terrified.

,,,,,,

Axel stumbled, Xion gone. He looked around but there was no sign of her anywhere and he dismissed his chakrams. “The Xion that I know is long gone. Fine, I see how it is...” he whispered.

He’d tried to find Sora to ask for help, but there’d been no sign of the kid anywhere and he was on the clock.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xion ran to the Old Mansion, turning around at the locked gates as more enemies sprung up behind her. “Don't call me and then lock me out...” she pleaded, and then blinked as she saw an image of Sora holding out his Keyblade. Xion stepped back from the gate and copied him, unlocking the keyhole in it. The gates opened and she ran quickly inside.

The Dusks tried to follow but were stopped by a hooded figure holding a Keyblade, not that she saw since she never looked back.

Xion entered the mansion and found the White Room, more visions of Riku’s memories assaulting her. She blinked and stared at Naminé. “Organization XIII... they're a bad group,” she said, and she’d been one of them?

“Bad or good, I don't know. They're a group of incomplete people who wish to be whole. To that end, they're desperately searching for something.”

“What?” She was so confused, there was so much she didn’t know or understand. She just wanted to be with her friends, except…that wasn’t possible?

“Kingdom Hearts.”

Xion blinked at that. It sounded…familiar. She shook her head and laughed softly.

“Funny?”

“It's just, I think…I've been running away from the question I really want ask,” she admitted, walking up to the table to look down at half drawn images. “What's going happen to me now? Just tell me that. Nothing else really matters anymore.”

“You are...” Naminé flickered.

“Naminé!” Xion called in alarm even as Naminé disappeared.

“There's no knowledge that has the power to change your fate,” DiZ told her as he appeared and she backed away from him.

“Even if it doesn't, I wanna know. I have the right to know!”

“A Replica doesn't have a right to know. Nor does it even have the right to be.”

“But what IS a Replica!?” what did he think she was?

“DiZ, we're out of time. Too many Nobodies!” the pickpocket announced as he appeared.

A portal sprung up behind DiZ containing Naminé. “Xion. Nobodies like me are only half a person. A Replica is a creation using data from someone else, to copy them. But you’re different, you won’t disappear,” the other girl quickly explained.

“I'll...disappear...?”

“No further outbursts!”

“No, you won't disappear! You'll…”

DiZ grabbed Naminé and covered her mouth.

“Wait!” Xion called, reaching for Naminé only to be grabbed by the pickpocket.

“Stop this DiZ,” he said, and his voice…she knew it, from her dreams…Sora?

“Xion! We will meet again. And then we can talk about everything. I may not know it's you, and you may not know it's me. But we will meet again. Someday soon. I promise!” Naminé called out as she was dragged into the portal.

“Let her go!” Xion struggled against Sora, but he only let go once they were gone and she spun to face him. “Are you him? Are you…Sora?”

He started, staring at her, but then he lowered his hood. “I’m sorry Xion, for all of this. I wish there was another way. Naminé is right, you won’t disappear. The memories will go back where they belong, you’ll be part of us,” he told her, his tone much more gentle then DiZ’s, his eyes sad. “We’re out of time Xion, please. I know you don’t remember right now, but you came to Naminé willingly. It wasn’t meant to happen this way but the Organisation got too close too fast.” He looked towards the outside. “I know you’ll do the right thing,” he told her, and then he was gone too.

She stared at where he had been before leaving the room and heading down the hall until she reached the library. On the table was an incomplete drawing and she drew in the missing piece, not sure how she knew it. She moved back as the floor vanished, revealing a hidden room beneath it. She walked into another basement room and found a large set of monitors and an odd machine which made Xion's head ache again, reminding her of a large white room with huge chairs, on which sat each of the Organization XIII. She saw DiZ and Sora, talking about her…

Xion's headache stopped and her anger rose, if she hadn’t been so angry, she would have been shocked by just how angry she was. The Keyblade appeared in her hands and she began to hack away violently at the computer monitors. Once she'd vented her anger, a door across the room opened. She took a deep breath to calm down all the way, she didn’t usually get that mad…did she? Xion fell back against the wall, fighting the urge to cry, why couldn’t she…she cried out, pressing her hands to her head as image after image bombarded her mind.

Xion took a shaky breath and straightened up, looking down at her skirt, shirt, jacket, and heeled boots, so different to the black coat she had always worn. She knew who she was and what was going on… Sora was right, she had agreed to let the memories go back to Riku, to help him wake up, because she was failing. Maybe being in this world had stabilised her, but she couldn’t remain forever.

Xion walked into the next room and was immediately surrounded by Nobodies. Xion defeated them easily, knowing their weaknesses. She looked at the door as Axel walked in with his arms crossed.

“Simply amazing, Xion,” he praised but she could tell his ‘heart’ wasn’t in it.

“Axel,” she whispered and he stared at her.

“You really do remember me this time?” he asked, but then his expression hardened. “I'm SO FLATTERED,” he yelled and she leapt back, calling the Keyblade as his rage caused the room to erupt in flames. “But you're too late!!”

To both of their shock, a second Keyblade materialised in her other hand.

“Two!?” he gaped but them summoned his chakrams, smiling mirthlessly at her. “Come here. I'll make it all stop.”

“Please Axel…just let me go,” she knew he wouldn’t say yes, but she had to try. Instead of answering, he attacked. They fought across the room, the fight far more intense than the one at the tournament, the heat intense, but she ignored it.

“Xion...” he dropped his weapons, the flames vanishing. He began to fade away and she dismissed the Keyblades, moving to his side.

“Axel... I wish…we could share an ice cream again,” she offered, and he smiled weakly.

“Yeah. I'll be waiting,” he offered.

“No, you won’t,” she choked as he vanished. Why would he wait for someone he didn’t remember? She sat where he had been, getting her breath back. He wasn’t dead, she hadn’t killed her best friend. He was wounded and exhausted, but he’d recover.

Eventually, Xion got up and walked through the basement corridor. She stopped as she saw two capsules with familiar faces inside. “Donald...Goofy?” they were fast asleep, floating within the capsules and she knew…they wouldn’t wake until Riku did.

She turned to the door at the end of the hall and entered. She dreaded seeing DiZ, but instead it was Sora who stood waiting for her, the hood of his coat down. It was strange to see him dressed like an Organisation member when she knew he wasn’t one.

“I told you it wasn’t goodbye yet,” he said, and she nodded, proving she remembered meeting him on the Island.

She walked towards him, looking at the strange flower like device behind him. As if in reaction to her gaze, the flower opened up, revealing a pod…with Riku floating within. “So, this is him,” she whispered.

“Riku,” he confirmed.

“Will it hurt?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Xion, I…”

“Don’t, it’s okay. This has to happen, I remember what was happening before, I was falling apart…” she tried to joke and then she leant back against him as Sora gently gripped her shoulder. “No one will remember me. Axel…”

“I’ll remember you, forever. I’ll try to look out for Axel for you, get him out of the Organisation,” he promised. She nearly fell back as he flickered, looking at him in alarm. “Goodbye Xion,” he smiled at her and then he was gone.

She turned back to Riku and smiled sadly. “Riku… you're lucky. Looks like my summer vacation is...over,” she whispered to him.

,,,,,,,,

Sora stumbled, turning to glare at DiZ. “She deserved to have someone there,” he snarled.

“You have an emergency call,” the man told him, and Sora left to see who it was.

He stopped as he saw Axel, the man still worn out from fighting Xion. They stared at each other before Axel smirked.

“I was right,” he said, and Sora cocked his head to the side in confusion. “I thought you were the imposter,” he clarified.

“Had to keep them from finding this place, guess it mostly worked since you’re the only one did.”

“What are you going to do to her?” he demanded.

“I’m sorry Axel, she’s giving Riku back his memories, and when she does that…” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Once it’s done, you’ll start to forget her.”

“Never,” he snapped, and Sora smiled, surprising him.

“Maybe you’re right, I hope you are. She should be remembered.”

“We gonna fight?” Axel asked warily, and Sora shook his head.

“You should go, DiZ won’t appreciate seeing you,” he warned. “Actually, there is someone you could help, Naminé.”

“Naminé?” Axel asked.

Sora held his hand out and she darted out from hiding, staring at Axel who was surprised. “DiZ wanted me to…well, I won’t. I owe you both.”

Axel seemed to consider it before nodding. “Alright,” he opened a Corridor.

“Sora…”

“It’ll be okay Naminé, go. You won’t be safe here with DiZ around.”

She hesitated but nodded and headed for the portal. Axel stared at him and then blinked, rubbing his forehead.

“Go Axel,” he told the older male, realising he was beginning to forget Xion which meant Riku and the others would wake any minute…and he had to go. He was breaking his promise but he couldn’t ignore an emergency call for help. He could, however, send Mickey a message to let him know they were waking, asking him to meet them. He left the money pouch at the train station before boarding his ship and taking off.

,,,,,,,

 _‘Riku?’_ a girls voice called his name

“Who's there?”

“Riku!” a different voice called.

“Riku, wake up,” came another.

Riku struggled to obey, his eyes slowly opening, looking out through a clear window to see Sora’s friends…Donald and Goofy…a cricket on Goofy’s shoulder. Where was he? What was happening? He was….floating? Even as he realised that he felt warm liquid draining away, leaving him to stand shakily at the bottom as the front opened and he stumbled forward, the two catching him.

“Donald? Goofy?” he asked in confusion, he was so tired.

The two laughed and hugged him, shocking him, but he hesitantly hugged back. “You’re okay! You got out from the Door!” Donald cheered.

Door…he blinked as he remembered helping to close the Door to Darkness. “How…?” he shook his head. “The King! I was with the King and…I don’t remember,” he shook his head, looking around the room. “Was I asleep?”

“Yeah, that sure was some nap!” the cricket answered and then bowed. “Jiminy Cricket, nice to meet you Riku.”

“Nice to meet you too,” he offered automatically. They were in a large metal room, with only the pod thing he’d been in, in it. No one but the four… “Sora!” he called, looking around. He looked at Donald and Goofy. “Where’s Sora?” he asked desperately. He remembered Sora trying to reach for him, their fingers somehow brushing before the Door had separated them, he’d thought forever.

“Sora?” Donald called.

“Gawrsh…he was with us before.”

“Maybe he’s in another one of those things in another room? Jiminy, what does your journal say?” Donald asked, and Jiminy pulled out a tiny book, flipping through it.

“Gee, there's only one sentence... "Thank Naminé." Hmm... I wonder who that is.”

Riku, Donald, and Goofy looked at one another and shook their heads, although…the name felt very vaguely familiar to Riku.

“Some journal that is,” Donald grumbled.

“Well, what do ya say we find out where we are and where Sora is?” Jiminy suggested and they began to move out.

Riku leant on Goofy for a while, struggling to get moving. “How long has it been?” he asked tiredly.

“Well…judging by your hair, I’d say it’s been a while,” Goofy admitted, and Riku reached up to touch his hair, finding it a lot longer then he remembered.

Thankfully he was able to walk by himself by the time they reached the stairs, his energy returning. There was no sign of other pods or Sora and they were all very worried.

_TBC…_

_There is a reason for her suddenly gaining the second Keyblade but it won’t come up for ages, probably not till she’s back._


	18. ch18

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 18**

“Herc!” Sora called even as he blasted through a group of Heartless and Nobodies.

“Sora!” the hero called back in relief, sending another group flying.

“What’s going on?” he made it to Herc’s side and they went back to back.

“I don’t know, they just started swarming the city yesterday. I’m glad you got the message.”

Donald wouldn’t be happy that he’d gotten a modified ship communicator from Cid and given it to Hercules, World Order and all that, but the son of Zeus knew about other Worlds so where was the problem? At the moment, it was saving a lot of lives, Thebes was a thriving city and it was being overrun.

“Hey! I remember you talking about Riku, is he okay?”

“He should be waking up now,” Sora answered before launching himself at a group that were doing something he didn’t want to see the result of. Surely there was no way they were doing this without someone being behind it. It didn’t seem the Organisations style so who else?

“Oh. Well then, let’s finish this and get you back to him!” Hercules grinned, and Sora nodded.

,,,,,,,,,,

They ran into the plaza before Central Station and were suddenly surrounded by more of the white beings. They got ready to fight them, Riku calling Soul Eater only to stare at the weapon in confusion, it felt…different. He shook it off and went after the strange creatures, they didn’t seem to be Heartless but he didn’t know what else they could be.

There were too many of them…and they were all weak, tired. He hadn’t felt so weak since he’d woken in Hollow Bastion alone that day. The idea of using the Dark powers she had taught him scared him, but it should be possible, at the moment though it didn’t feel like it. What had happened to him?

He shook those thoughts off and refocused on the fight. Riku tried to cover for them as Donald went down, but Goofy soon followed, and Riku was soon driven to his knees, falling back against Goofy. He was panting for air, unable to raise his blade…they were going to die…

He watched in exhausted shock as a small black covered figure quickly dealt with their attackers. The shape was familiar…

“Your Majesty?” Donald asked hopefully.

“Shh! You gotta board the train and leave town! The train knows the way,” the King answered, Riku recognised the voice from when they’d been in the Realm of Darkness even though he was keeping his back to them. He held out a pouch, finally looking at Riku and smiling at him. “Here.”

Riku took it and the King ran towards Market Street.

“Your Majesty...” Donald called after him.

The King...” Riku murmured, looking down at the pouch, finding it was full of Munny.

“Now we know he's okay!”

“The King was locked in the Realm of Darkness, right?” Riku asked to clarify since things were a little foggy, he figured because he was still tired, at least he hoped that was why. Had he been hurt or something and been in that thing to heal?

“Uh-huh.” Goofy nodded.

“Maybe…he knows how we got out, how I ended up in that pod,” Riku shook his head, he could think about that later. “I've got to find Sora, then we can go home.”

“Of course, Kairi's there waiting for you,” Goofy agreed, and it was a relief to hear she had made it home.

“What are you two going do?”

“Gawrsh, Riku. Do ya have to ask?”

Riku stared at him in confusion.

“We’re coming too! Sora is our friend, we have to find him!”

“Right,” Riku nodded, shoving his hair back, away from his eyes.

Knowing they would help him was a relief, he would need the help since he hadn’t travelled the Worlds before. Maleficent had just sent him places, he didn’t want to try using the Darkness like he had to get Kairi from Hook’s ship. Could he still use the Darkness without being possessed? No…he could feel it inside his heart. He was free of Ansem, but not the Darkness. Maybe…that was why Sora hadn’t been there? No…he wouldn’t have abandoned Donald and Goofy even if he thought Riku was lost.

“Come on, we hafta board the train!” Goofy called, turning to the station.

“Right,” Riku straightened up despite the lingering tiredness. What was wrong with him?

They rushed inside the station, looking around.

“Wait up!” Hayner called as the three locals ran into the station.

As much as Riku wanted to hurry, they had been the ones to tell them about the King being at the station so they should listen.

“Hey, Riku…”

“What?” he asked, curious.

“Nothing, but...”

“We came to see you off. It just seemed like something we oughta do,” Pence spoke up.

“Oh...really?” he was surprised, they didn’t know him, but Pence seemed sincere. “Thanks,” he offered awkwardly. He’d never been good with people other than Sora and then later Kairi. He looked around at a ringing sound.

“You should hurry and get your tickets,” Olette explained, and he nodded.

“Right,” he went to the teller, pulling out the Munny pouch.

He didn’t see Olette’s reaction, but Donald did. “What is it?” the magician asked.

Riku turned to see what they were talking about, seeing her pull out an exact copy of the pouch he had.

“They're the same,” Goofy agreed.

“Yeah,” she seemed very puzzled so they must not be all that common a design?

Riku turned back at the clearing of a throat. “Three tickets, please,” he asked politely, handing over the money and accepting the tickets. “I can't help feeling like we won't see this town again...” he murmured as he joined the others.

“Why not?” Donald asked him.

“You're thinkin' too much,” Goofy advised him, and Riku snorted but shrugged.

“Bye,” he told the other teens as Donald and Goofy boarded the train.

“Hey, Riku. You sure we haven't met before?” Hayner asked, and Riku hesitated before nodding.

“Positive. Why do you ask?”

“I dunno,” Hayner shrugged uncomfortably.

Riku blinked and reached up to touch his cheek, feeling wetness there. He was…crying? He quickly brushed it away but they’d seen it.

“You okay?” Olette asked in concern.

“Of course, I don't know where it came from,” he shrugged it off.

“Pull it together,” Hayner chuckled.

“Right... See ya,” he offered a small wave as he boarded the train, taking his seat as the door closes. He pulled the blue crystal out of the pouch and stared at it. “Why am I sad?”

“Don’t worry Riku, once we find Sora, we can visit again,” Goofy told him, and Riku nodded.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared at the pod he had watched over for almost a year, it was strange to see it empty. The whole mansion was empty, he had no idea where DiZ had gone and didn’t really care as long as he didn’t endanger his friends. He’d hoped they’d still be there when he got back but they were gone and he had no way to track them off World. Merlin probably did, he’d have to go see him.

He heard someone approaching and tensed, but he recognised the scent and relaxed again.

“Sora?”

“Here Mickey,” he called, and the King entered the room.

“I got your message, I gave Riku the Munny Pouch and sent them off on the train for their safety.”

“The train?” Sora looked at him, confused.

“Hmm, it’ll take them to Master Yen Sid at the Mysterious Tower. It wasn’t that long ago, they’re probably still there, you can catch up to them. If they aren’t, he can tell you where they went.”

Master Yen Sid…one of the few people Merlin had specifically told him to avoid. Great. “I have something I need to do first. What about you?”

“I’ll keep looking into the Organisation and slowing them down. Be careful and get to them quick. We didn’t exactly talk, but it’s obvious they’re worried.”

Sora nodded and then left the mansion.

,,,,,,,,,

Yen Sid studied the three before him. He was well acquainted with Donald and Goofy through Mickey. The boy was a stranger and a concern. That none of them knew where the Keyblade bearer was, was incredibly worrying. He had expected the boy to be with them and yet apparently they didn’t remember even separating from him or ending up with young Riku.

He was no longer possessed, but Darkness lingered around him, quiet for now but for how long? He did not wish to see another Terra and at least…no…someone had performed the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony with him. It could not be young Sora, he would not know how, though it did raise the question of how Sora came by the Keyblade, the ceremony, or some other way? Riku would need to be tested, guided to denounce the Darkness that still held power over him, preferably before his Keyblade fully manifested.

The coming troubles would be a good test, worded as a quest to find Sora. So he explained about Nobodies and the Organisation before sending them to the three Fairies for new clothing. The old ones looked rather ridiculous with how he had grown, unless that was the style for the young now?

,,,,,,,,,,

Riku sat in the gummi ship, glancing at his new clothing occasionally. It was very different to anything he’d worn before and he wasn’t sure yet what he thought about it. There was a black short sleeved, hooded jacket with gold buttons and a checker pattern along the hem that he’d left unzipped. Under that was a white shirt with a high V-neck. His trousers were blue and cropped in length, accented with a thickish black belt, with the same checker pattern as the jacket, what was it with the Fairies and that pattern? To finish it off he had black fingerless gloves that went up almost to his elbows and black and black high-top boots. It was a lot darker than anything he’d worn, except that strange outfit the Darkness had given him anyway.

He shoved his hair back again, he hadn’t allowed them to cut it, only accepting some hair ties to deal with the majority of the mess. Kairi always cut their hair and it felt wrong to let anyone else do it.

Hopefully, Sora wouldn’t laugh when he saw him. He sighed and leant his head back against the headrest as Donald flew. Why did he care if Sora liked his clothing of all things? Shouldn’t he be more worried about if he’d forgiven him? If he’d even want to see him? How much did Kairi know about what had happened? She was a Princess of Heart, would she hate him now?

Seeing Pete had been a shock, he’d only met him once at the Castle, shortly after Maleficent had found him. He hadn’t thought much of him then and his opinion hadn’t improved. Pete had definitely been shocked and confused to see him with Donald and Goofy, fighting against the Heartless. He might not be the brightest but they couldn’t just leave him to cause trouble wherever he went. Who knew what he might get up to without Maleficent there to guide his actions.

Maleficent…his emotions and thoughts were…complicated when it came to her. He still felt guilty over her death, even if he hadn’t been in control when he’d stabbed her. She’d used him to do her work, but she had treated him well, had been protective…he thought that maybe she had genuinely cared about him. What he’d done under her tutelage had been evil but there had been good times in the Castle too.

Yen Sid had given them the task of finding Sora, because the Keyblade bearer was needed, not that he needed some scary old wizard to tell him that. Or to tell him to find his best friend, did he think he wouldn’t look for him? Riku was scared for Sora, the King…Yen Sid…no one seemed to have any idea where he was. Surely they should know where he was or where he’d been due to his fighting the Heartless? What if…no, he would not even think about that, Sora was fine.

“Are ya okay Riku?” Goofy asked, sounding concerned.

“Fine,” he offered a smile that was more of a grimace. How could they just accept him the way they had? Weren’t they mad at him for everything?

A screen on the console in front of Donald suddenly turned on, showing two faces. “Howdy, Guys! How ya doin'?”

“It's your favourite Gummi engineers here, ready for duty: Chip...”

“...and Dale!”

“Happy flying!” They said in unison and Riku just stared, okay…

He leant forward to see the map they had left on the screen and frowned. “Only one destination?”

“That's no good!”

“Wait! I think it's a world we know!” Goofy pointed and Riku’s heart sank, why that one?

,,,,,,,,,

Riku leant against the wall of the strange house, unable to look at anyone. Why did it have to be Hollow Bastion? And people that Sora knew so well?

“Sora?” The young woman, Aerith, asked Donald, and Riku refocused on the conversation. “He’s been coming by on and off all year. Having to travel alone was really hard on him.”

“Yeah, he’s had to replace his clothes how many times?” the younger girl, Yuffie, snickered.

Riku slumped in relief, it was good to know that Sora had had somewhere safe to rest while they were asleep. Wait….

“YEAR!” Donald and Goofy shouted together.

“Um…” Yuffie shifted nervously.

“Almost a year,” a new voice called, a man with a scar on his face walking in.

“Leon,” Donald greeted.

Leon nodded and then looked at Riku, studying him. “So, you’re Riku,” he then offered his hand, surprising Riku but he took it. “Good to finally meet you. Having you asleep for so long was torture for the kid.”

“Do you know where he is?” Riku asked, and Leon shook his head.

“You only just missed him. He said when he went to the Mansion you were all gone.”

Riku groaned and banged his head against the wall, great. Were they going to spend the next year just missing each other? A year….huh, he was eighteen now, he didn’t feel any older though, even if he had grown.

“Merlin might know where Sora was headed,” Leon offered.

“Where’s Merlin?” Goofy asked, and everyone shrugged.

,,,,,,,,,

Sora looked around carefully, not seeing or detecting anyone. It was late, she was probably asleep, but she deserved to know. He climbed easily up to her bedroom window and knocked softly on the glass. It only took a few minutes for her to appear at the window, eyes widening in shock.

She vanished again and then reappeared, dressed. She opened the window and looked out, frowning when she didn’t see anyone. “Riku?” she whispered, and Sora shook his head but offered her a hand. She took it and they vanished, reappearing at the Paopu tree, Sora providing a little light via magic.

He gasped as she hugged him tight, hugging her back. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

“I’ve missed you both. Sora…I remember everything.”

“Yeah, Riku’s awake.”

“Then where is he?” she asked, excited, and he shifted away from her.

“Ummm….”

“Sora,” she crossed her arms, glaring at him, and he sighed.

“I wasn’t there when he woke up, there was an emergency. When I got back everyone was gone. I’ll find him, I promise. Merlin gave me a spell to help. I just…” he looked down and then her hand was resting against his cheek and he leant into her touch.

“You’ll find him.” She hugged him again, and he leant into her.

“You really think so?” he asked quietly, and she lifted up on her toes to kiss him.

“I know you will,” she told him with a bright smile, and he couldn’t help smiling back.

,,,,,,,,,,

Donald set the course for the new World that had appeared, flying carefully, shooting down any Heartless that crossed their path, taking his frustration out on them. He’d really hoped the Hollow Bastion group would know where to find Sora. It was good to know that Sora had them when they were sleeping, that he hadn’t been alone the whole time. He wanted the full story on what had happened to them but the group had insisted that Sora explain the rest because he’d know what was safe to tell them. Safe!?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin sighed as Sora slumped at the table, frustrated, and he didn’t blame his apprentice. He was rather having an unfortunate amount of bad luck when it came to catching up to his companions. He had not had the chance to see them when they had stopped by unfortunately, he’d like to get a look at young Riku, make sure there were no lasting ill effects from his possession. He had seen such things before, unlike Yen Sid, though he did wonder how his old student had taken meeting Riku.

“Come now Sora, cheer up! You’ll find them. Now then, I have a new spell to teach you.”

That cheered him up some, Sora was always eager to learn more magic. He’d been considering whether or not to teach him certain spells, but Sora had shown no ill effects from learning to open the Corridors or any aspects of his vampirism. He had not wanted to learn that, but after feeding from his friend Jane, Merlin had insisted, seeing the increased struggle he was suffering from in order to keep from biting anyone. Leon and Cloud had both volunteered as test subjects for him to learn to feed from without hurting his donor. Cloud hadn’t even blinked when he’d been told about Sora, admitting he’d sensed the change.

,,,,,,,

They ran up the mountain, heading for the summit, trying to find the army. They were going to fight an army, was that what Sora had been doing during their time apart, when Riku had accused him of messing around? He’d never fought an army before! He glanced up at the cry of a bird, seeing a hawk fly over them, following its course and seeing it land on Shan-Yu's shoulder at the top of the summit. Okay, one man would be fine…and then hundreds of Heartless appeared, hovering over the edge of the cliff.

Riku summoned Soul Eater and readied to fight, hearing the others spread out. He wished they had fought together more or that he had Sora’s easy way of falling in with others, but they’d have to do their best.

The hawk flew off Shan-Yu's shoulder as he cleaved the air with his sword. “Attack!”

The Heartless charged down the mountain toward the group. Riku took a deep breath and threw himself into the fight, slashing at any that came near, Goofy covering him, and Donald using magic to keep the numbers from overwhelming them. He was hesitant to use magic, scared of the lingering Darkness. Right when he thought they might win, Shan-Yu sped down the mountain with another group behind him.

“Riku!” Donald yelled, pointing, and Riku spun around.

He saw Ping readying the cannon…aiming at the towering snow covered cliff, and his eyes widened. “Run!”

They took off as the rocket hit the mountain, the snow beginning to fall, forming an avalanche that swept away everything in its path.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora crept along the ledge, looking down at Axel, watching him. Without any memory of Xion, would he be an enemy or ally? There was no sign of Naminé with him so Sora hoped she was safe. He saw Axel pull out a seashell, staring at it in confusion. Sora hesitated but then dropped down, Axel spinning around at the soft noise he made sure he made when he landed.

“The imposter!” Axel readied to fight, and Sora held his hands up, making him pause.

Sora pushed his hood down and green eyes widened, which meant that for some reason, working out who the imposter was, was tied to his memories of Xion. “Axel,” he greeted.

“You’re the imposter? Man…” he shook his head in disbelief.

“You knew that a while back,” Sora told him. “Is Naminé okay?”

“She said she had some things she wanted to do and I wasn’t going to take her back so she left,” Axel admitted. “Wait, how did you know… Okay, what’s going on?” he demanded.

“Does the name Xion sound familiar?” Sora asked gently.

Axel frowned, rubbing his forehead.

“Do you know who gave you that seashell?” he pushed as gently as he could, wondering if memories of her could be brought back. “Xion, Organisation member XIII. She was an imperfect Replica, made using data from me and Riku taken at Castle Oblivion. That’s why she could wield a Keyblade. She was your best friend, you used to sit on the clock tower in Twilight Town and eat sea-salt ice cream together. But she began to destabilise, absorbing some of Riku’s scattered memories.”

Axel was listening at least, looking confused.

“She agreed to give Riku his memories back and left the Organisation. You were sent after her to either bring her back or kill her…but you couldn’t do it. When she disappeared, everyone’s memories of her vanished, except mine. You don’t remember her, but something’s lingered.”

“Even if I believed you, so what?” he crossed his arms.

“You really want to work for a group that ordered you to kill your best friend?”

Axel chuckled darkly. “In case you didn’t know, I’m a Nobody, we don’t have emotions, so why should I care?”

“Then why did you keep the shell?” Sora shot back. “Do you really believe the Organisation is there to get your hearts back? Cause it doesn’t add up. If that’s what you want then I know a really powerful Wizard you can talk to. If anyone can work it out, it’s Merlin.”

Axel stared at him, looking stunned, and Sora discreetly sniffed the air…he smelled surprised too. So much for no emotions, surprise was an emotion! So if you need a heart to feel emotion, then how could a Nobody?

“You do feel emotion, you’re not faking that surprise, I can tell.” He moved closer and pressed a hand to Axel’s chest, he felt the physical heart pounding away, felt him stiffen in alarm. He might lack a ‘heart’ (and Sora doubted that), but the body still had a physical one. After all, Nobodies were formed by the body left behind when a Heartless was created. “I saw the two of you once, eating ice cream in Twilight Town together. That kind of friendship doesn’t exist without emotion Axel. I know everyone says Nobodies can’t feel, that you don’t have hearts, but that’s wrong!”

Axel stared at him in disbelief, running a hand through his hair. “You’re…something else kid.”

“Not a kid,” he rolled his eyes.

“Look, even if I agreed with you, there’s no such thing as resigning from the Organisation. They’d come after me and it wouldn’t be a happy ending.”

“There’s places you could hide and if you did leave them, we’d protect you. Just think about it.” Sora grinned and then vanished, teleporting away.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel stared at where Sora had been and then shook his head. The reports on his abilities were definitely way out of date. Should he believe him, that he’d had a friend he couldn’t remember? Wouldn’t be the weirdest thing he’d ever heard of. What did it matter? Dangerous enough to have let Naminé go. To try and leave would mean death or being turned into a Dusk and that was not a fate he wanted.

_TBC…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Riku's outfit is his one from KH3, in case it wasn't clear or anything. Since he's being dressed by the fairies i decided to go with it. Sora's is so different because it's the Fairy Godmother making his, she has different taste and has asked him what he wants to.


	19. ch19

_Disclaimer: Not mine_

**Chapter 19**

Goofy threw his shield at Shan-Yu, knocking him away from Mulan even as Riku hit the bird that was making things even more difficult for them. Everyone else had retreated into the Palace to protect the Emperor which meant they had to keep Shan-Yu out!

He was worried about Riku though, his fighting was…conservative and he was barely using any magic. Had the year sleeping really weakened him that much? Sure, they’d lost some power and couldn’t do some of the things they’d gotten used to, but they seemed a lot better off then him! Unless….he learned from Maleficent, did he only know Dark magic? That would be bad!! Donald would need to start teaching him like he had Sora, hopefully he could use Light magic too or else things would be a lot more difficult until they could meet up with Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent stared out at Hollow Bastion, seeing the town in the distance, able to feel a certain Wizard within it. The castle was empty, she had sent Pete off on a mission, unable to deal with him at the moment. He was the only one who did not appear to have abandoned her, despite her temporary defeat, they would all pay for that.

She had checked Riku’s bedroom but it was untouched, he had not used it. Pete had said he had seen him with the King’s Men at Yen Sid’s tower which was a good indication that he was no longer possessed. For that, she was glad, she wanted his mind, body, and heart to be his own. Maleficent wanted to know what had happened to him during her absence but had no way to find out, yet.

Would the possession have turned him against the Darkness? She hoped not, but it would be a rather natural reaction. She did not blame him for her death like a human would. He had not had control of his actions and even if he had, she would have been proud of his power.

She would approach him, ensure he was doing well, and offer him further training. He had Darkness within his heart that needed to be cultivated and carefully trained or else he could end up possessed by anything with the ability. If he chose to remain with the King’s people, then that was his choice, but the process had begun, so long as any Darkness lingered in his heart it would continue. Once finished, he would have a very long time to accept that he belonged in the Darkness.

,,,,,,,,,,

Axel stared at his journal, he knew it was his and yet he didn’t remember writing a lot of what was in it. Sora had been telling the truth….Xion was real and had been his friend, and now she was gone. Reading over everything, he had to wonder, was Saïx just using him to do his dirty work? He remembered the Riku Replica now, how they’d used it, and wondered what had happened to it after he left. He doubted very much Sora would have killed it.

So the question was, did any of it change things?

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leon smirked slightly when Sora banged his head on the table, frustrated, not that he blamed the kid. He seemed to have the worse luck, even with Merlins’ tracking spell to find them.

“Ah, good! you’re here,” Merlin announced as he appeared, and Sora lifted his head from the table.

“What is it?”

“I have good news! I have learnt the identity of the heart sheltering within yours,” Merlin’s pronouncement got blank stared from the whole group.

“The what?!” Sora yelped after a few seconds.

“Oh…oh dear, did I forget to tell you?”

“Tell him what?” Leon demanded. They knew Kairi’s heart had been hidden within him, but another?

“Yes, well, when Sora was unconscious after freeing Kairi’s heart, I performed a more in depth scan of his heart. It’s not exactly my area of expertise, but I managed to detect another heart. It felt vaguely familiar actually, so I have been looking into it, and I am sure I know who it is.”

“Who?” Sora asked nervously, not that they blamed him.

“Ventus!” Merlin smiled but once again received blank looks. “Oh…did none of you meet him before? He came here once, before everything went wrong.”

Leon thought it over but then shook his head and from the look of things, no one else remembered meeting him either.

“Oh, well, Ventus was perhaps a few years younger than Sora is now. Perhaps mid-teens as you call it. He is also a Keyblade bearer,” Merlin told them, shocking them all.

“Wait! I remember hearing about a mess…some big robot or something, beaten by three strangers…and one of them was a blond kid,” Cid spoke up and Merlin nodded.

“Ventus, Aqua, and Terra. I met all three although I do not know what happened to them. There has been no sign of them and I have searched because Sora could use some proper instruction on the Keyblade aspect of his abilities,” Merlin explained.

“And I can’t go to Yen Sid,” Sora ran a hand through his hair. “Who also might know what happened to them.”

“The King may know as well,” Merlin told him. “The next time you see him, mention Ventus’ heart.”

“Will do.”

“Now that that is dealt with,” Merlin began.

“Is there any way to get him out of me?” Sora asked, and Merlin blinked.

“Other than Sora stabbing himself again,” Leon added quickly.

“There should be, however we do not know if his body has survived or where it is,” Merlin pointed out, and Sora grimaced.

“Think you can steal another Replica off the Organisation?” Yuffie smirked and Sora laughed.

“Hey, I haven’t stolen any! Xion came of her own free will and the one of Riku…I don’t actually know what happened to him. But I suppose I could go back to Castle Oblivion and poke around. Would a Replica work?”

Merlin shrugged, he was a magician, not a scientist after all, but at least they had the beginning of an idea if this Ventus’ body was unusable.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xemnas sat on his Throne, the others unoccupied. Their memories had all returned, of exactly what had happened with Ansem and the boy he had possessed. He had been spotted with the King’s men with no sign of Sora. He’d been spotted, still alone, which puzzled them all. Everything they knew of the Keyblade bearer said that he had a desperate need to be with friends, that he saw them as his power.

Then there was the Imposter. Could it be Naminé or the Replica? She at least could open Corridors and it was possible he could as well. It was possible they could have taken one of the coats at Castle Oblivion and escaped that way since they had found no sign of either of them.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Sora was still killing Heartless as they needed him to. There was no way their plans could be stopped.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku tensed as the Beast took the glass covered rose from the table, the last time they’d seen each other hadn’t exactly gone well, but surprisingly he stormed from the room without paying any real attention to them.

“Gee, do ya think he maybe forgot who we are?” Donald asked.

“With this many Heartless around, something must be wrong,” there hadn’t been any when he’d been sent to retrieve Belle.

“Why'd he have to do that?” Donald grumbled as they left the parlour but then stopped, looking upwards.

Riku looked but didn’t see anything. “What is it?”

“I just know I saw a lady at the top of those stairs...”

They looked up the long staircase branching to the east and west but there was no sign of anyone.

“Well... If the Beast is here in the castle, that lady musta been Belle, right?” Goofy asked, looking up at the empty stairs.

“It should be, she was here when…” he shrugged slightly, not wanting to say it, he wasn’t exactly proud of what he’d done after all. “Belle might know what's happened to the Beast, too.”

“C'mon! Let's go find her!” Goofy ran for the stairs, Donald following.

Riku hesitated, how would she react to seeing him? Princess of Heart or not, she had every right to be angry with him. He jogged after them, heading up into the east wing, having to fight Heartless and possessed statues along the way. They came to a closed door and paused to listen at it.

_“What am I going to do?”_ a female voice could be heard on the other side, a voice he recognised.

Riku took a deep breath and knocked on the door which quickly opened. Belle looked at him and gasped, stepping back.

“Belle!”

“Donald? Goofy? Oh, I’m so glad to see you! But…where is Sora? And why are you with him?”

“It’s okay Belle, Riku’s on our side,” Donald quickly told her.

“Yep, he was possessed by Ansem before but he’s okay now. We’re lookin’ for Sora, you haven’t seen him?”

“No, not since the Worlds were separated, but I’m sure he’s alright,” she smiled but there was something that didn’t feel right about it to Riku, like she wasn’t saying something.

“Where's the Beast?” Donald asked, changing the subject.

“Oh, he must be in the west wing. We don't talk like we used to,” she admitted sadly, moving further into the well-appointed bedroom.

“Did something happen?” Riku asked awkwardly.

“Yes. I thought that was why you were here.”

“We can still help! And maybe Sora will know and come too.”

“Since we're already here and all,” Riku agreed.

“The Beast won't talk to you?” Donald pressed and she shrugged, moving to look out the balcony doors.

“He's been acting strange lately. The only ones who might know why are locked up in the dungeon. I want to help them, but...

“Wait a second, who did he lock up?” Riku frowned, that didn’t sound like the Beast he’d met.

“The Beast locked up his servants,” she admitted sadly.

“But why?”

“That's what I don't know.”

Riku didn’t even need to check with the others, apparently getting involved in the Worlds. “Where's this dungeon?”

“You can get to the under croft from the west hall. The dungeon is down there.”

“West hall, right.”

“Be careful!” she called after them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora snarled and launched himself at the Nobody, ripping its throat out with his fangs, claws digging deep in another. He resummoned his Keyblade and went after the rest, making short work of them. He rubbed his shoulder, he knew it was healed but it still ached, despite the cure spell and potion, even they had their limits and that massive Heartless in the Land of Dragons had nearly ripped his arm off! Getting into another fight so soon, even with his own healing, had put a lot of stress on the limb.

He opened a Corridor, wanting to search the Castle for anything possibly left behind that could help with a Replica. He stopped before entering, frowning in confusion, and then he grinned. It was Merlin’s spell! It was tugging him and he stepped into the Corridor, focused on following it rather than going to Castle Oblivion.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi lifted her wooden sword and squared off with Tidus. Both of the guys said she was improving and she’d noticed she had a lot more energy now then she used to, she could run for a lot longer and lift heavier things. Her grades in sport had never been so good. But was it enough to fight beside Sora and Riku? She’d been ready the book from Merlin that Sora had given her on his visit, trying to teach herself even beginners magic, but it wasn’t going so well, she needed proper instruction and not self-training.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku dropped to one knee, staying still as Donald quickly healed him, before getting back to his feet. That strange chained ball had been a difficult fight with the way it merged into objects.

“Look out!” Goofy’s shout had him spinning around, swearing as he saw the Heartless was back…and changing, the chains breaking apart, freeing its true form, wonderful.

Riku knew they were in trouble, rubbing his chest, able to feel the pull of Darkness in his heart. He couldn’t give in! Who knew what would happen, what it would do to him to use that kind of power again.

“Oh great, he’s back!” Donald yelled, and Riku looked over at where he was pointing.

Opening off to the side of the ballroom was a Corridor of Darkness…a black coated figure emerging, and Riku tensed, shifting to be able to face him if he attacked, assuming it was Xaldin, which he did….the Heartless. His eyes widened, locking on the weapon in their hand. Was it possible…

“Sora?” he whispered. That…that was a Keyblade!

“Sora!” Donald and Goofy called in shock and relief.

Riku watched in awe as Sora moved across the room…he’d really improved! He’d been good then but now… a blast of fire hit the Heartless, causing it to shriek in pain but focus on Sora. A few more attacks and it was done for.

“You did it!” Goofy cheered.

“So you think,” Xaldin said, and they looked over to the door to see him there. “So, you are the Imposter. Orders are to destroy you,” he stated, and Riku saw Sora shift position, Keyblade ready, and Riku pushed himself to ready to fight as well. “But perhaps not today,” he finished, obviously seeing them all get ready to fight. They might be tired but Sora was fresh.

“Xaldin!” the Beast roared, running towards him, but opened another Corridor.

“Farewell,” he called as he vanished.

They waited in silence for a minute but nothing else happened, and Riku turned back to Sora.

“Sora,” Riku called, and he turned to them, hidden fully by the coat. Riku dismissed Soul Eater and ran towards him, stopping before he reached him, not sure of his reception.

Sora’s Keyblade vanished and then he reached up, pushing back the hood. “Riku,” Sora whispered, blue eyes wide.

He looked different, older, but that made sense after a year, and Leon had mentioned Merlin using magic to let him train faster, a necessity when travelling on his own, which had aged him even more than that year. So maybe they were the same age now? It didn’t matter….all that mattered was the fact there was no anger or disgust in Sora’s expression.

And then Sora reached out to him and Riku closed the distance, hugging him tightly, hearing Sora choke back sobs. “Riku, you’re here….you’re really awake.”

“I’m here,” he agreed, holding on just as tightly as Sora was. How long had it been since they’d hugged? They used to touch all the time but then he’d pulled away…never again.

He pulled at the coat, wanting to see Sora with his own eyes, to have proof he was in one piece after hearing the comments on replacement clothing, and Sora reluctantly stepped back, unzipping the coat and removing it. His clothing was different even to what he remembered from their battles in Hollow Bastion but it suited him, his hair a bit shorter than he used to wear it too, but he was still Sora.

,,,,,,,

Goofy smiled as the two hugged, clinging to each other, even as he held Donald back from joining in. They could say hello when the boys were done.

“Sora,” the Beast nodded, seeming relieved to see the rather occupied teen.

“I think they’ll be busy for a while,” Donald sighed. “We should let them talk.” He glanced at them again and then ushered everyone out of the ballroom.

,,,,,,,,,

Sora took in how Riku had grown while sleeping. He’d known about his hair but now he could see how much height he’d gained, so unfair. He let Riku take his time looking him over, knowing the changes were a lot more obvious in him since he’d been younger to start. He liked Riku’s new clothing, could feel the protective magics woven into it, and assumed the three Fairies that Merlin had mentioned had made it.

“You need a haircut,” he laughed, and Riku chuckled, but it sounded shaky.

“You don’t.”

“I’ve seen Kairi, she’s not impressed I missed you waking up since I promised to bring you straight home to see her once you did,” he admitted, fighting the urge to reach out and touch, to kiss him again now that Riku would be aware of it.

“You…she doesn’t…” Riku swallowed and looked away. Sora felt the near jump when he took his hands, but at least Riku looked back up at him.

“I missed you so much. When that Door closed… then when I found you in Castle Oblivion, you barely recognised me, too much of your memory was gone, and it kept getting worse. By the time I got you into the pod, you’d lost everything. You couldn’t walk, understand us, anything,” Sora explained shakily, feeling Riku freeze, his face a mask of horror.

“Sora, what happened to me?” he asked desperately, and Sora hesitated, remembering Naminé’s warning.

“Your memory was altered and then erased on orders of the Organisation. I was the target, but it didn’t work, so they used you instead. They wanted a Keyblade wielder under their control, I guess they would have had you try to call it back again? Or found a way to give you another one? Not really sure. After we beat the person in charge, Donald and Goofy went into the pods to fix their altered memories and I went looking for you.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“How could they do that?” That kind of power… how could Yen Sid expect them to fight that? But…Sora had fought at least one of them in the Castle. How powerful had he become?

He listened as Sora explained about Naminé, and where she’d come from. The idea that they had made a fake him was very creeping, though he was glad it had helped Sora in the end.

“Riku…I don’t know a lot about what you went through there, what I do know came from Naminé. If you remembered what happened, it could damage your memory again, it could…destroy your heart,” Sora explained, and Riku blanched.

He wanted to know, to understand but those risks sounded a bit too high. “Sora...I…” he stared down at his best friend, there was so much he wanted to say but he couldn’t figure out how or where to start. Sora just smiled at him, reaching up to brush back some hair that had come loose in the fight. Riku’s eyes widened slightly at the move, was it…could he…?

He’d been so jealous when he’d seen how close Kairi and Sora were becoming, closer and closer all the time, he knew that had played a part in what he’d done, that and his own confusion. One minute he was jealous of Kairi and the next of Sora and it just hadn’t made sense, he couldn’t like both of them, could he? It didn’t matter, neither of them would ever…

Riku froze as his lips brushed against Sora’s, feeling a hand buried in his hair, his own hand resting on Sora’s hip. Had he? Had Sora? He tensed and Sora moved back, cheeks red.

“I’m sorry,” Sora rushed out, and Riku’s eyes widened. “I shouldn’t have”

Riku cut him off, kissing him, managing to bump their noses together awkwardly. He felt Sora’s other hand move to grip his shoulder, holding him close, and he copied him. He’d never kissed anyone before but it felt…nice. Very nice if a little odd. Sora was the one to end the kiss, smiling softly, and Riku felt his cheeks get rather hot.

“I kissed Kairi!” Sora suddenly blurted out, and Riku jerked back, embarrassed and worried. If he’d kissed her then why kiss him? “And she kissed me…and she drew you sharing a Paopu fruit with us,” he finished, and Riku blinked, confused.

“I…what?” he asked, hating that he didn’t know what was going on. Sora wouldn’t juts play with him like that…he wouldn’t.

Sora smiled nervously, one hand moving behind his head even as he shuffled his feet a little. “We both like you Riku, and each other. I know that’s not normal on the Islands but I’ve seen it in other Worlds and it can work…if you like us?”

Three of them? He’d never even considered that; hadn’t thought it was an option. But…maybe it was what he wanted? Would it explain what he’d felt when he saw them being so close?

“Just think about it, okay? I shouldn’t have done that, not when I just found you, but I couldn’t risk never having the chance again. And…well technically I kissed you before too, just before you went into the pod, not that you were aware of it,” he looked away as he admitted that.

Riku nodded, time to think sounded good. Sora kissing him when he was like that didn’t bother him, he knew it had been a goodbye of sorts. “Okay.” He took a calming breath and then slowly offered his hand, Sora grinning as he took it, then they walked towards the doors. “Guess we failed the mission Master Yen Sid gave us.”

“Oh?”

“Well, you found us and he wanted us to find you,” Riku smirked, and Sora laughed.

“I won’t tell if you don’t.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Belle looked over as the doors to the Ballroom opened and the two teens emerged, holding hands. She felt the same Darkness in Sora as they all had back in Hollow Bastion, a different kind of Darkness to that which Riku had. Sora’s was more…primal, animalistic, which was rather confusing. He saw her and smiled shyly, and she felt a pang of guilt over how they had treated him before.

She smiled at Sora and he blinked, startled, but then his smile widened. With Mrs Potts’ help, they soon had everyone settled with warm drinks and light food to help them recover from the battle, although she noticed Sora was doing a good job of pretending to eat which was strange.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Sora, where have you been?” Donald demanded once the four of them had left the Castle.

“Chasing after you three,” he grinned at them. “I was there until a few minutes before you woke up but then there was an emergency…Thebes was being overrun by Heartless and Nobodies, and Hercules needed help. I kept just missing you.”

That made Goofy laugh, though he muffled it at Donald’s glare.

“Where to next?” Riku asked, once again holding Sora’s hand.

“Well, Kairi’s waiting to see you so I was hoping to kidnap you back to the Islands for a while. I’ve got a ship so you’d only need to use the Corridor once.”

“Sounds good to me!” Goofy jumped in. “We could meet you in Hollow Bastion in four days?”

Sora nodded and looked to Riku who’s nod was more hesitant, obviously worried about going home.

“But…” Donald looked between them all before shaking his head. “Fine! But not a day more.”

_TBC…_


	20. ch20

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_Wow! Chapter 20 already._

**Chapter 20**

Riku watched the ship take off and then turned to Sora who had pulled out the black coat and was holding it out to him. “What’s with the coat?”

“Protection,” Sora answered, pushing it at him, and Riku took it hesitantly. The material felt strange to him.

“From what?”

“The Darkness in the Corridors. You used them when with Maleficent, right? That’s how you got off Hook’s ship.”

“Yeah.” He held it up, seeing it would be short, but at Sora’s expectant look he tried to put it on, surprised to find that despite the differences in their builds, it fit like a glove. Had it changed to fit him? Okay…and suddenly he was wearing full hand gloves. Very strange.

“Well it’s dangerous, the Darkness in them can corrupt your heart and the more times your exposed the worse it gets.”

“Wait, I can’t use your coat,” he went to take it off. No way was he endangering Sora! He already had Darkness in him so one trip shouldn’t be too dangerous, right? Even if it was, better him than Sora.

“It’s fine,” Sora promised. “I’ve always used the coat so I have no previous exposure, you do. I’ll leave you with Kairi and wear it to retrieve my ship, promise.”

“Alright…just this once,” Riku agreed reluctantly, and Sora reached out to pull the hood up.

Sora then held his hand out, opening the Corridor for them.

Riku tensed slightly as they stepped in but felt nothing, the coat really did protect him. He looked at Sora but he seemed okay, still Riku pushed for him to walk quickly and Sora didn’t argue. Travelling through the Darkness brought back memories he didn’t want to examine.

Before he knew what was happening, his booted feet were sinking into dry sand, the tropical sun beating down on him, and he took in a shaky breath. He felt Sora squeeze his hand even as he forced himself to breath and look around. It looked…exactly how he remembered it, there was no evidence of that night and the storm to be seen. Sure, it’d been over a year but there should be evidence of damage…and yet the Play Island was completely restored, so likely all the Islands had been too.

“It’s okay Riku, no one remembers anything but that there was a bad storm and we went missing,” Sora’s soft voice reached through his building panic and he clung to his words.

No one knew except Sora…and Kairi. He felt Sora’s arms wrap around him and he sagged against him, holding on tightly. He hated being so weak…but trying to be aloof and strong had been the cause of everything, so maybe it was good?

“Riku?” Sora sounded worried, a hand rubbing his back.

“It’s really all back?” he asked, and Sora nodded against his shoulder.

“Promise,” Sora murmured, and Riku forced himself to straighten up, taking deep breaths.

He stepped out of Sora’s arms and looked around, it really did look just as he remembered.

“You okay if I go get Kairi?” Sora asked, and Riku nodded, needing a moment alone to get his emotions under some kind of control.

“Yeah…wait, how, there’s no boats,” he looked at the dock.

Sora grinned and winked, then vanished. Okay…that was new. Riku moved up the beach and jumped up to sit on the edge of one of the wooden walkways.

,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi gave an excuse to Selphie, running off down the path. She could feel him, Sora!! She may not have managed any of the magic form the book but she had worked out how to sense Sora, through her heart mostly. She reached the beach and looked around, but then he stepped into view and she threw herself into his open arms. “Sora, you came!”

“Well I promised to bring him back,” he grinned, and her eyes widened.

“Riku?” she asked hopefully, and he nodded.

“He’s waiting on the Play Island.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” she crossed her arms, mock glaring at him, and he laughed and then they were on a different beach. She looked around and then she saw him, his hair a lot longer and dressed in unfamiliar clothes…but it was him. “Riku!” She yelled, running towards where he was sitting.

He looked up at her and she saw him tense, even as he dropped to the ground, wary, but she didn’t care. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his waist hearing him gasp softly.

“Riku,” she whispered, and she felt his arms slowly wrap around her in return. “I’ve missed you so much, even when I couldn’t remember, I knew someone was missing.” She let go enough that she could look up at him, seeing the shock in his wide eyes.

“Kairi…I…”

“LOOK OUT!” Sora screamed suddenly.

Kairi felt herself spin around, belatedly realising that Riku was shielding her with his own body, hearing his grunt of pain and then the sound of weapons clashing. “Riku!” She felt him slump against her, staggering under his solid weight.

“Run,” he gasped out, but they were on a tiny island, where could she go?

She felt him go totally limp, easing him down as carefully as she could ,and looked up to see Sora fighting someone wearing a black coat like the one he often wore even as strange beings formed on the beach.

She got to her feet, standing between Riku and the approaching beings, were they Nobodies? They didn’t feel like Heartless. What could she do? She didn’t even have a wooden sword!

Then the group burst into flame and another man appeared, this one with flaming red hair. He saw Riku and grimaced, holding two round weapons with flames licking at them. “How bad is he hit Princess?” the man asked, and Kairi stared at him, wary because he was wearing the same black coat.

“Axel?” Sora glanced their way, as did his opponent.

“What are you doing here Axel?” the stranger demanded.

The redhead smirked. “Making a choice Xaldin.” He then stepped between her and more approaching Nobodies, tossing her a bottle. “Potion, give it to him, then stay back.”

She looked at the bottle in her hand and then at the stranger…who Sora had called by name. She hesitated, but then knelt to give it to Riku, at least he could fight if healed. She cried out as her wrist was grabbed, stopping her.

“Luxord,” Axel’s voice snarled from off to the side.

She heard Axel curse even as she struggled against the hooded figure. He yanked her up and she drew her leg back, landing a kick right between his legs, hearing the pained noise as he let go of her wrist. She scrambled back and felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her further away. Her attacker looked from her down to the unconscious Riku, and she tried to run forward as she realised what he was planning, but Axel’s grip was too tight.

“RIKU!” She screamed in denial as the man grabbed him and vanished into one of the Corridors she’d seen Sora use.

“He’s alive! They don’t want him dead, that gives you time to rescue him,” Axel told her before having to go back to fighting. Not that it lasted long, a few attempts were made to grab her, but Axel defended her, and soon Sora’s opponent disappeared into the Darkness as well.

Sora was suddenly beside her and she fell into his arms, crying. “Thank you, Axel,” he said, and she felt him press a kiss to her forehead. “We’ll get him back, I promise,” he whispered, and she wiped her eyes.

“I’m coming with you,” she demanded, hearing Axel chuckle.

“Don’t think she’ll take no for an answer,” he offered.

“Okay,” Sora agreed.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Where would they have taken him?” Sora asked the Nobody.

“Back to base in the World That Never Was,” Axel answered without any hesitation. “They won’t kill him. They were after the Princess first, as bait for you, guess he ended up the easier option.”

Kairi slowly pulled out of his arms, looking at Axel curiously. “How do you know?” She asked, and Axel shifted, seemingly nervous, glancing at Sora.

“Axel used to work for the Organisation. He’s the one who fought with me in Castle Oblivion and he took Naminé away from DiZ. Did you come to warn us?”

“Heard them talking about wanting leverage to make sure you’d keep fighting Heartless, leverage you wouldn’t know about till it was revealed. They know you’re the Imposter now, you were seen fighting with the Keyblade. I’ve done a lot of icky jobs for them but…” he shrugged.

Kairi surprised the redhead by walking up and hugging him briefly. “Thank you Axel. If Sora and Riku hadn’t been here…”

,,,,,,,,,

“I’d have grabbed you and stashed you somewhere safe till I could tell them,” Axel told her.

It was weird but…it was the truth. He guessed he’d made his choice, he would help Sora and his group against the Organisation, even if it meant never gaining a heart. Though…the kid seemed to think he already had one.

He looked at the Princess and then back to Sora. “She’ll need gear and we need another coat for her.”

“Hollow Bastion first, we can get what we need there,” Sora put his hand out, opening a Corridor.

He really wanted to know how he’d learnt to do that or even how he could. He was the Keyblade master, how did he have enough Darkness in him? And then he was putting his own black coat on the Princess. She held his hand as he led her into the Corridor and Axel shrugged, following them inside.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xemnas stared at the now healed teenager who lay restrained under the influence of a sleep spell. So this was the boy that Ansem had possessed, who had managed to fight him long enough to save his friends once, whose heart had been strong enough to come back from the Darkness after the possession was complete.

Despite that, there was still Darkness within his heart, in fact…well, that made things very interesting. There was no need to turn the boy into a Heartless to bring his Nobody into the organisation when his Heart held the remains of his own Heartless, Ansem. His method of gaining control of Kingdom Hearts had failed and now he would help Xemnas with his. While theoretically, the boy would be easier to control, he would also need to be trained which would take more time then he was willing to commit to. They would draw Ansem out and he would help, or he would be destroyed, right in front of Sora to give him extra motivation to fight. After all, destroy Ansem and the boy would die with him if Ansem were the one in control.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stared at her drawings in horror. No…not after everything they’d already been through. Her first thought was to go to Sora but…he wasn’t ready to face the Organisation on their home ground, not yet. She had to do something though, which left one option, if she had the courage.

Sora would do it, Kairi would too, so she took a deep breath and opened a Corridor, hoping she wasn’t going to her death. She wanted to meet Kairi before re-joining her, to say goodbye to Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Cloud frowned and then quickly made his way across town. Sora was back, at least that better be Sora but…he’d never felt what he was from him before. Bloodlust and rage were not a good combination in a vampire! He found Sora with a girl about his own age, that had to be Kairi, but also a man dressed in the same black coat Sora used to traverse Worlds…the same the Organisation wore.

“Sora!” he called, relieved the kid was keeping control, for now.

He’d never actually seen Sora lose it before and he wasn’t sure he wanted to after all the training he’d been doing. No, the illusion appeared calm but beneath it…Sora’s eyes were definitely more red than normal, barely any sign of blue in them. He could see the barely controlled snarl of anger that he was keeping from the other two, obviously not wanting to scare her.

“What happened?” None of them appeared wounded, although it was possible Sora needed to feed.

“They took Riku,” Sora’s hands were balled into trembling fists.

“It’s my fault,” Kairi said. “He shielded me with his body and the got him while he was unconscious. They were trying to get me first.”

“Axel knows where they’ve taken him, but Kairi needs gear.”

Cloud nodded, eyeing Axel who looked very vaguely familiar but he shrugged it off. “Stuff you’ve been collecting is at Merlin’s.”

They began walking that way, Cloud casually shifting to be between Sora and the others. He could take a lot more damage than the girl could after all, he wasn’t sure about Axel but he was probably the same. Surprisingly, the didn’t run into any Heartless on the way and he wondered if that was because of Sora’s mood.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi stared at her reflection, surprised by the image. The Fairy Godmother had made her new, magical, clothing to keep her safe. She wore a skirt to her knees that flared so it didn’t restrict her movements but it also had attached shorts that sat at mid-thigh so that she didn’t have to worry about flashing anyone, especially in a fight. It was dark purple with white trimming along the hem and she wore a white shirt with short sleeves as well. Over that was a jacket that matched the skirt in shade of purple although it had some patterning in red and dark blue instead of white…shades that matched the colours Sora tended to wear. Her boots matched the outfit which was nice and she also had a belt and fingerless gloves to protect her hands.

She stared at her hair, wondering if she should just cut it but in the end she tied it back so it wouldn’t get in her way. The only jewellery she wore was the necklace she’d had for as long as she could remember, although Yuffie and Aerith had mentioned getting her more, useful pieces that would help with magic and healing. It had been a shock to realise even Sora had his ears pierced so he could add accessories for battle.

Sora…Leon and Cloud had taken him off as soon as introductions had been made, saying they needed him to deal with a Heartless problem on the outskirts of the town. She thought they were lying, or at least using it as an excuse. Sora had been very tense since the fight and she thought maybe they took him to let him take out his frustration on acceptable targets.

She was doing her best not to think about Riku and what had happened because if she did…well, she didn’t have time for that. Riku was strong, he’d probably rescue himself before they reached him, but if he couldn’t then he had to know they’d come. She was scared about fighting those people but she would do what she had to, to save him.

Axel had been acting odd since they’d arrived, or at least it seemed odd. A few people had given him second looks too, like…he reminded them of someone. Maybe he was originally form Hollow Bastion, before becoming a Nobody? Could he have family or friends in the town? That would be painful. Or maybe the place just reminded him of something?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“No, Sora,” Merlin crossed his arms, glaring at his apprentice who glared back.

“We can’t just leave him there!” the young vampire snarled in return.

“Of course not! But if you try to go now, you will likely fail and then what will happen to Riku, to all of you?” Merlin demanded, and Sora looked away. “You aren’t ready to face them on their home ground dear boy. Kairi most definitely isn’t and will need a lot more training.”

Sora sighed and moved to slump on the couch. “He needs us,” he whispered, tears of frustration in his eyes.

Merlin lay a gentle hand on his shoulder. “He will understand, he would not wish you to be captured as well or die in the attempt. Once Goofy and Donald arrive, you will leave with them to continue your work, continue learning. Kairi and Axel shall remain here and we will use the same time spells, especially for the Princess.”

He had recognised young Axel immediately, although that was not the name he had known the boy by. So many had gone missing when their World fell and now Lea had returned, but as a Nobody. He wondered what had happened to his friend but he would not ask. The boy was very jumpy, obviously worried about being recognised. They had been good if mischievous boys, like so many who had been lost.

“Once they are ready, the five of you shall go and save young Riku,” Merlin promised.

He only hoped they truly would be ready.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy was shocked to see Sora slouched on the couch when they entered Merlin’s home. “Sora?”

The boy looked up and Goofy was terrified by his expression, what had happened? Sora was usually good at hiding his emotions behind a smile but now… “They took Riku,” he said, and Goofy rushed to his side, Donald on his heels.

“Who took him?” Donald demanded.

“The Organisation. They were aiming at Kairi but Riku got knocked out defending her so he was an easier target.”

“Kairi?”

“Training with Yuffie and Aerith. They won’t let us go after Riku, said we’re not ready. She keeps…blaming herself, because Riku got hurt using himself as a human shield.”

“And you’re blaming yourself,” Goofy told him, and Sora shrugged.

“It’s not your fault Sora!” Donald chided.

“Isn’t it? Axel said they wanted leverage, they targeted Kairi because of me.”

“Axel?” they both asked.

“We met him in Castle Oblivion, he helped us beat the guy in charge. He also helped me get Naminé to safety just before you guys woke up. He was going to take Kairi and hide her from the Organisation and he defended her in the fight,” Sora explained.

“We’ll get him back!” Donald swore, and Goofy nodded.

They had seen Riku as they searched for Sora, seen the desperation. And they’d dealt with Sora’s before when he had been trying to find both of his friends. It wasn’t fair that the three kept being split apart by things out of their control. The Organisation was going to learn not to mess with Sora’s friends.

Sora offered a shaky smile. “Thanks.” He stood and Goofy yanked him into a hug, Donald grumbling but joining in. “Merlin and the guys think we should keep travelling like you were with Riku to train and get more experience.”

“Well…I guess that makes sense. If they wanted Kairi as leverage then maybe they’ll be more relaxed if they know where you are,” Goofy offered. It made sense, if they thought they knew where Sora was, then their security may relax, giving them an easier way in.

Sora nodded, almost pouting. He obviously understood the reasoning but was also fighting instinct that would be screaming to save…what exactly was Riku to his vampire instinct? Potential mate? Member of his group or family, whatever vampires called them? At least he wasn’t out there killing anything he could in his rage. Sora was angry but it was banked, controlled, for now at least.

“So when do we leave?” he asked.

“Day after tomorrow,” Sora answered firmly.

It didn’t give them long to stock up and rest, but they’d rested on the flight. They would be ready.

_TBC…_


	21. ch21

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 21**

Leon leant back against the counter, watching Sora pretend to eat for Kairi and Axel’s sake as everyone else enjoyed the small feast that had been put together. Sooner or later, Sora was going to have to tell Kairi at least, before his secret came out in a way that could hurt things between them. It wasn’t exactly cheerful, but Yuffie and Aerith were doing their best to keep the atmosphere light as they ate. In the morning the trio was leaving to keep up the work of battling Heartless and Nobodies while Kairi and Axel continued training.

Axel was good but he was an assassin, he needed some work on his combat abilities since he tended to put too much into his attacks. He was going to end up dead if he fought like that in a long battle. Kairi on the other hand was basically starting at the beginning. She’d been working with a wooden sword against other teenagers for the last year, and while that was how Sora and Riku had begun their training, they had started as very young children, letting them build up skill and muscle memory over years. Aerith was drilling her intensively in magic since she was a Princess of Heart and should have a high affinity for Light magic. They hadn’t settled on a weapon for her yet but he figured it’d be a staff or lightweight blade of some type.

It was obvious they didn’t want to split up, but for the moment it was the safest option. Merlin’s home was very protected, if the Organisation still wanted Kairi then it would not be easy with her in the house, especially with the rest of them always around. Merlin was old and powerful, surely they wouldn’t be that dumb.

He just hoped Riku could rescue himself or hold out until the group were ready.

,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey slipped into the dimly lit room and smiled down at the sole occupant of the bed. He reached out to touch her hand. “Minnie,” he called softly and she stirred.

“Mickey?” she blinked at him, and then she was sitting up, smiling at him, and he sat on the edge of the bed to hold her close.

“I’ve missed you so much Minnie,” he admitted. For a while, he’d feared he’d never see her again.

“Is it over?” she asked, and he shook his head. She nodded sadly, knowing he couldn’t stay, and he hated disappointing her.

Maybe he shouldn’t have come, but he needed to see her. Knowing Riku had been taken by the Organisation, he’d been worried for her, although the Castle was protected. When he left, he would begin trying to find him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi held on tight to Sora, she hated separating again, but she knew there was no other choice. He was holding on to her just as tightly, a hand rubbing her back through her shirt. She lifted her head up and he leant in, kissing her softly. “I…I love you Sora,” she whispered once they parted, seeing his eyes widen slightly before he smiled.

“Love you,” he murmured, kissing her again. “I kissed Riku and then told him about the two of us and wanting it to be there. He…he never answered and now…”

“Now we just have to wait longer because you will bring him back, again,” she grinned, and he gave a shaky laugh. “We so get to tease him over being more of a damsel in distress than the actual Princess of Heart.”

That got a more natural laugh out of him. “Yeah, we do. You focus on training so you can come join us, okay?”

“Will do,” she promised. Kairi made herself let go, but he took her hand as they walked towards where the ship was waiting. “Try not to get hurt,” she told him, still remembering waking to see him collapsing to the ground only to not wake despite all of the healing Donald had done on him. She never wanted to see him like that again!

“I’ll do my best,” he promised, kissing her cheek before letting go of her hand and moving towards the ship. He turned part way up the ramp to wave and then he was gone.

,,,,,,,,,,,

He was falling…falling…he could feel the Darkness pressing in all around him. He couldn’t move, couldn’t open his eyes…or were they open? Where was he? He’d…he’d been…Sora? Or had he dreamed seeing him? Maybe he’d never made it free of the Dark.

“I see you now...clearly,” a voice called, and Riku struggled to respond. “Riku... I can see your heart...”

He came to a stop, floating, and then he felt his feet touch something. He blinked his eyes open slowly and looked around. He was standing on a massive circle of…glass? It was hard to see because he was standing on it, but there was an image of him, sleeping, Soul Eater in hand, and surrounded by smaller images of…Kairi, Sora, Mickey, and…his hands balled into fists, Ansem.

“No… Darkness this foul could only...only be…” he stared at the image in horror.

“That's it, remember me... Let me drift into your heart..” the now familiar voice seemed to whisper in his ear, but when he turned there was no one there.

“Ansem!” he hated to admit it but he was terrified and confused, unsure what was real and what he had imagined. And Ansem’s words, they niggled at the back of his mind, almost familiar, as if he’d heard them before. He hadn’t, had he?

Ansem laughed even as he appeared in front of Riku. “You called out my name. You have been thinking about me... You're afraid of the Darkness I command. Good... The more you think of me, the closer my return draws. And when I have awoken, I will take hold...Your heart will be mine!”

He moved, faster than Riku could dodge, grabbing hold of him. Riku struggled madly, glad for the absence of the Guardian.

“I know you can feel it... The grip that I have on your heart.”

Riku was gasping now and yes…he could feel it, like something squeezing and sinking into him at the same time.

“You have let in the darkness, Riku. That means very soon your heart shall become an all-consuming darkness.”

“I'm not like that now!” he denied, still struggling to get away. He wasn’t! He remembered helping the King and Sora close the door, the last memory he was sure of.

“Yes, you are.”

There was a flash, and Riku froze in Ansem’s grip, eyes wide. “Can't move!” he gasped, seeing the Darkness beginning to rise from his body. No…not again! He knew Ansem would use his body to kill Sora, to make sure Riku could never break free again, and he couldn’t let that happen! He would not be used to plunge the Worlds into Darkness!

“The deeper the Darkness runs inside you, the stronger I become. Controlling you is effortless.”

“No…” he denied but his body would not respond.

“This time I will ensure your heart is sent so deep into the Darkness that you will never wake and your body shall become mine.”

Sora! Kairi! He screamed with heart and mind for help, something, anything.

,,,,,,,,,

Sora frowned and rubbed his chest, his heart was…aching? He glanced over at where Donald and Goofy were curled up asleep, only resting in the Underworld because he was able to keep watch no matter how long they slept. Something…someone was…calling? Begging for help? He closed his eyes and leant back against the cold stone, ignoring the swirling mist, reaching out with his heart.

,,,,,,,,

Kairi gasped, stumbling, as she felt a desperate plea from somewhere.

“Kairi?” Axel called, but she tuned them all out.

She reached out and was surprised to feel Sora, Worlds away, doing the same. Who could…Riku! It had to be Riku, who else would beg them for help? She gathered all of her strength, all of her love for her boys, and threw it at him. What were they doing to him for him to be so desperate as to reach across Worlds for their help?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku gasped, hands coming up to grab Ansem’s, feeling it as light exploded inside him. He could feel them! He could feel Sora and Kairi! He brought his legs up, enjoying the shocked look on Ansem’s face, before kicking out with every ounce of strength he now had. He broke Ansem’s hold, falling backwards, rolling up to his feet, Soul Eater appearing in his hands.

“I have watched you fight. I know your strength. Your skill with Darkness has grown, it has become more mature. And yet, why... Why do you still refuse me? You know you and I are similar. We both follow where the Darkness leads. Indeed, we are the same, so why? Does some part of your heart still have a fear of the dark?” Ansem demanded, and Riku glared at him.

“That's not it. The truth is...” he took a deep breath, moving into position. “I just can't stand your foul stench.”

“You are a fool. You should know my powers well by now,” Ansem sneered, arms crossed over his chest.

“Yeah, I know. Or did you forget? I used all the power you had to give…and Sora still beat me. I'm not at all impressed with your powers!” Riku snapped at him.

“Very well. In that case,” Darkness surrounded Ansem, “You shall sink into the abyss!” He released a huge wave of darkness.

Riku tried to fight the pressure given off, and then stumbled as the glass platform vanished, leaving him in dark area with only a single white platform, different to the glass one from before. “Huh?”

Ansem's Guardian appeared and attacked Riku but he dodged. So much for it not being wherever they were. Riku dodged and then sent several fireballs at him, using them as cover to get closer, slashing at Ansem. They fought ferociously across the platform, neither willing to surrender.

“Insolent brat!” Ansem snarled, firing a dark energy ball at Riku.

Riku caught it with his weapon and slashed it, causing it to dissipate. “Ansem!”

“Huh?”

Riku ran to Ansem and slashed through him. “This is the end!” he yelled.

As Ansem staggered, they reappeared on the glass platform again. “This...is hardly...the end... Your darkness…I gave it...all to you...My dark shadow...lingers... Someday... Someday... I will return!” Ansem exploded and released a huge cloud of darkness.

Riku threw his arms up to protect himself only for it to wash over him, consuming him. He felt himself fall from the platform, seeing it fade away above him as he fell. “Sora... Kairi...” he whispered, eyes closing.

,,,,,,,,,

Sora opened his eyes, feeling the connection fade away. There was nothing he could do except hope that Riku was okay. He could swear he had heard Riku whisper his and Kairi’s names just before it faded. At least it confirmed Riku was alive, right?

He sighed, frustrated. It didn’t help that they were on their way to speak with Hades, he had no doubt the god would be able to sense what he was, how would that effect things? He was god of the dead after all and technically, Sora was very much dead.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Hades stared at the Keyblade brat in shock, not that he was there and getting in his way, he should have expected that really. No, the shock was that he was no longer human…no longer one of the living. The kid was one of his now! How had that happened? He was literally a walking corpse, doomed to feeding on blood for eternity.

Pity he was still a ‘hero’, he could use someone with that kind of power on his side. And while the brat now held considerable Darkness…he was still able to wield the Keyblade and still fighting for the Light. Well, that was what he had this guy he had just yanked out of prison for. He would defeat Hercules for him…even if Hades had to make him!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You're really good. Are you some kind of hero?”

Auron shook his head at the boy…he was so young, younger than they had been when they left for the Pilgrimage. “No, I'm no hero... I'm just an...”

“Huh?” the kid stared at him with wide eyes.

“Auron,” he offered, feeling amused at their confused looks. “My name,” he clarified.

“I'm Sora,” the kid grinned at him but there was something…haunted and angry deep in his eyes.

“Donald,” the duck introduced, jumping on Sora’s shoulders.

“Goofy!” he copied Donald, Sora stumbling, and then they fell in a pile.

Auron fought back a real chuckle at the dight. “It seems we were fated to meet. Maybe you need a guardian.”

Sora pushed Donald and Goofy off him, scrambling to his feet. “Guardian? Thanks, but no thanks,” the kid told him, heading for the passageway.

Auron watched him go and chuckled, he was an interesting boy. He obviously had some kind of disagreement with Hades too which was interesting…then again the boy was also dead, although the other two still lived.

,,,,,,,,,,

“Huh? Ah! You!” the hooded figure called, pointing at them, before lowering his hood. He was youngish, though older than Sora, with an interesting hairstyle.

“Where’s Riku?!” Sora demanded, summoning the Keyblade to hand.

“Aww…come on, do we have to fight?” he whined, surprising Sora. That wasn’t the kind of attitude he’d seen from the other Organisation members, but it did give him a clue to who the guy was thanks to Axel. He was pretty sure this was Demyx. Axel had given them brief info on all of the surviving Organisation members which would be useful when facing them.

“Tell me what you’re doing with Riku.”

The man shifted, looking around, searching for an exit. Sora opened his senses and yeah, he could literally smell his nervousness. Another Nobody with a heart, small and weak yes, but it was there.

“Look man, I don’t know anything! Not like the Superior tells me stuff. I hate fighting. I didn’t even know about the plan to grab the girl.”

“You stole the Olympus Stone, give it back,” Donald spoke up.

“This little thing?” he asked, bringing it out and holding it up, glowing with white light briefly. He brought out some kind of large stringed instrument…weapon? “Dance, water! Dance!” he called, and they scattered as figures made of water appeared and attacked. Definitely Demyx then.

Sora fired off a few fireballs, hearing them sizzle as they hit the water figures, shrinking them but not destroying any. Donald fired off a few more that were more powerful and did destroy those they hit. Fire magic really wasn’t his thing anymore. Thunder would be way too dangerous, he didn’t want to accidentally electrocute them all. He began to move, slashing them apart, even as Demyx made more and more, trying to overwhelm them.

In the end Demyx staggered back, clutching his shoulder where Goofy’s shield had slammed into him, the arm hanging wrong, dislocated at least.

“He’s alive, right?” Sora called as the man began opening a Corridor to retreat into.

“You’re one determined kid,” Demyx shook his head. “Fine…yeah, he’s alive. Or was anyway when I left.” And with that he was gone.

“Hey, look!” Donald picked up the Olympus Stone that Demyx had dropped. He gave it to Sora, who held it up. They glowed with light and felt their full power return.

“Let's go! Meg needs our help!” Sora ran for the doors ahead of them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Could today possibly get any better? This time Wonder-breath is going down for good,” Hades smirked, seeing the four run towards him and the entrance. “Well, if it isn't everyone's favourite hero washout. You really blew it this time,” he taunted.

“No one likes a sore loser, Hades.”

“Can it, bloodboy!” Hades snapped at him, surprised when none of them looked surprised. “So…when did you join the Darkside?” he smirked.

“I didn’t,” Sora told him firmly.

Kid had spunk, to stand up to him like that. His nephew shifted, protectively, and that was a surprise. “Protecting a monster?”

“Sora isn’t a monster,” Hercules denied. “He doesn’t hurt people, he protects them.”

Hades chuckled, looking him over, able to see right through the illusion that made him appear human.

“No one likes a sore loser, Hades,” Hercules told him, and Hades smirked.

“Yeah, yeah, Styx and stones. Hey, maybe you should go check on that Hydra you neglected to finish off. I hear things are really FALLING APART up there, champ,” he vanished in a flash of smoke.

“Wait!” he heard the boy yell.

“Hate to run, but I've got another little diversion to attend to,” he projected his voice to them, grinning happily as he went to collect the souls of those the hydra had killed personally for once.

He wondered how much would change with the boy now a Dark creature. He also wondered when it had happened, he had been human when he had first met him. Oh well, not like it mattered anymore. Maleficent was dead, her plans destroyed, and he honestly had too much work to do to bother taking control of the group, especially when several members were also now dead. Playing along with her had just been a bit of a fun diversion and if it’d worked to help him get control of Olympus, well then that would have been great.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xemnas stared at the body still under a sleep spells effects. It no longer looked like the teenager they had kidnapped but like ‘Ansem’. The Darkness still leeched from his skin but it was lessening, suggesting it was almost finished. His body had transformed but that did not mean the boy wasn’t still fighting but it appeared he was losing or may have already lost. To be safe, he would keep him asleep for a while, they did not need him yet after all.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin set his book aside. He had been researching, trying to find any mentions of a heart taking refuge inside of another’s for so long. There was the added concern of how Sora being turned may have affected Ventus. There had been no effect on Kairi that he could detect, but her heart had not been with Sora for very long. For Ventus, it had been many years on top already having been with him for over a decade. Which meant even if they could free his heart and place it in some kind of fake body or even his own if they could find it, what would then happen to him? Would he turn?

The sooner Ventus could be removed, the better. They could not use the same method as was used to free Kairi, for one that Keyblade had been destroyed, and if it was going to work, surely his heart would have been freed then. Instead, it had remained within Sora. Was it possible they had become too entangled to ever be separated again? Or had whatever happened to him damaged his heart in some way that meant he couldn’t leave Sora without more help? Sora hadn’t been aware of his presence, nothing like the dreams or even vision he had received from Kairi.

Then there was being prepared to help Riku once he was rescued. While they hoped Riku would be mostly left alone in order to be healthy for use as leverage, there was no guarantee. Potions and the spells used in the field only worked on fresh injuries, any older ones would require a different kind of healing.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora leant his head back against his seat, staring out into space. There’d been something about the way Hades looked at him that had made his skin crawl. Finding out he knew what he was, wasn’t that big of a shock, not when Hercules had picked up on it the first time they met after he was turned. Had Hades maybe thought he could use him? That Sora being dead meant he would be on his side or something?

“Whoa!” he yelped as the auto-pilot suddenly kicked in, the ship spinning around onto a new course.

“Sora!”

“Wasn’t me! Someone’s summoned us.” Last time, it had been Merlin, but the course was wrong for Hollow Bastion. Actually, he didn’t recognise it at all, but the computer did. He’d left the ship he’d been using in case Kairi had to get somewhere.

Goofy leant over the back of his chair to get a look. “Gawrsh!”

“What? You know where we’re going?” he looked up at the Guard Captain.

“Of course I do, that’s home!”

Their home? He’d always wondered what it’d be like and now he was going to get to see it. Did that mean Mickey had gone back? Or were they being called by the Queen? He hadn’t seen the King since their meeting in Twilight Town, although they had sent messages. He’d sent one after Riku was taking but had yet to hear back. He wasn’t worried, Mickey could take care of himself, he was a King and Keyblade wielder after all.

_TBC…._


	22. ch22

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 22**

“Your Majesty! Queen Minnie! We're back!” Donald called as he pushed the doors to the library open.

“You're here!” she called in relief.

“Your Royal Highness, did ya happen to summon us?” Goofy asked as they moved to stand before her.

“Yes,” she nodded, her gaze landing on Sora.

“Your Majesty, this is our friend, Sora.”

“Oh, Sora! The King told me all about you in his letters. He said you're a very brave young man,” she smiled and Sora shifted uncomfortably.

“He’s a good friend, your Majesty. Do you know where he is?”

She shook her head and they all sighed.

“Your Majesty, what are Heartless doing in your castle?” Donald asked, very concerned by their presence. It shouldn’t be possible.

“Oh my... So those are the Heartless.”

“Don't worry, we'll take care of 'em!” Sora grinned at her, but Donald picked up something off with his grin.

“I know I can count on you, Sora. Now, there's something I'd like all of you to come and see. Would you please escort me to the audience chamber?” She asked and they saluted but then she gasped in alarm. “I forgot to warn everyone else in the castle about the danger! We must be sure they're hidden somewhere safe!”

“Okay, we'll go tell them!” Sora promised.

“The whole castle!?” Donald cried in alarm. Where was Daisy?

“We just gotta split up, Donald,” Goofy tried to calm him down.

“I'll make sure that everyone knows what's going on,” Sora offered, but Donald shook his head.

“No, Sora, you'll just get lost!”

“Okay. Then I'll stay with the Queen.”

She giggled at that.

“Good,” Donald nodded.

“All righty then, see ya later!” they quickly left the Library to warn everyone.

,,,,,,,

“Um, the audience chamber, right, ma'am?”

Minnie looked at the boy her husband spoke of so fondly. “Yes, Sora. Let's be on our way.”

She went to the door but he moved in front of her, acting as her bodyguard. She watched him fight the Heartless and for someone so young, he was amazing. She did her bit as well, using magic to help lower the number of attackers. She was shocked to find Heartless even in the audience chamber but between them they had soon made it to the Throne. She pushed on the throne which receded with a flash of light, destroying the remaining Heartless. Where it had been was a set of stairs leading down.

“Whoa...” Sora stared down, and she hid a smile.

“The room below is called the 'Hall of the Cornerstone.' Our castle has always been safe from worlds that are evil...thanks to the Cornerstone of Light which we keep down there.”

“The Cornerstone...of light?” He asked, and she was confused by what sounded like nervousness in his voice. Still, he followed her down the stairs and into the Hall.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora followed the Queen down into the Hall of the Cornerstone and saw an unbelievable mass of thorns filling the room. A giant ball of swirling light stood in the middle of the room and Sora found himself wincing slightly, it burned…even through his protective clothing and magic. The tropical sun of the Islands didn’t burn but that thing did?

“This is the castle's cherished Cornerstone. But look, the thorns...They must be the work of someone very evil. I wonder what this could mean...” he half listened to the Queen, wanting to leave but not willing to leave her alone.

A burst of familiar green flames appeared before the Queen, and Sora moved between her and them, only for an image of Maleficent to materialise. He heard feet pounding down the stairs but didn’t turn, knowing it was Donald and Goofy.

“Maleficent!” Donald squawked in alarm.

“Well, well, well. What have we here...? If it isn't the wretched Keyblade holder, and his pitiful lackeys!” She sneered, but the hostility was lacking when he met her eyes.

“What!? Now you're gonna deal with me!” Donald leapt to attack but flew right through her.

“All in good time. I promise you'll be able to partake of my vengeance. But you must be patient,” she smirked.

“Vengeance? For what?” Sora spoke up. “Ansem’s the one that did that to you, not us or Riku.” He picked up the slight shift when he mentioned Riku. Sora focused the magic he’d been practising with Merlin, hoping it would work. He doubted they’d ever work together but if she truly cared about Riku… _“The Organisation took Riku,”_ he focused on that phrase over and over, and he saw her eyes widen slightly in acknowledgment.

“Just what are you doing here, Maleficent!?” The Queen demanded.

“Ah, Queen Minnie. Radiant, as always,” Maleficent mock bowed. “I'm here on a property venture, I want this castle for my own. However, it's a bit too "bright" for what I have in mind. I suppose I'll just have to fill every room with my personal touch of darkness,” she smirked, reaching out to touch the Cornerstone of Light, but it rejected her hand.

“You'd better stop right now if you know what's good for you!” Queen Minnie told her firmly.

“Ooh, how frightening. Very well. I'll stop... Just as soon as the castle belongs to me!” She cackled, vanishing.

“What a…” he grimaced.

She’d gotten his message and he hoped she’d act on it, even if she only managed to distract the Organisation, giving them an opening. If she rescued Riku…at least Riku would know how to deal with her and she wasn’t interested in hurting him.

“Nothing like this has ever happened before. I looked through all the records in the library, but I couldn't find a single clue,” the Queen explained.

“Ohhh! We should go ask somebody who knows lotsa stuff that ain't in any book!

“Merlin,” Donald stated, and Sora nodded.

“I’ll get him,” he told them, reaching out to open a Corridor, he had the feeling that shouldn’t work in the Castle and yet it did, and he darted through.

,,,,,,,,,,

“Oh!” Minnie gasped in alarm.

“It’s alright Your Majesty.”

“But that’s…he’s…”

“It’s not our story to tell…” Donald trailed off, obviously uncomfortable.

“Sora was attacked but he isn’t Dark, Your Majesty. The Keyblade still comes to him,” Goofy added seriously.

She looked at her husband’s dearest friends and she understood, they would defend Sora. For him to have such loyalty from them… she nodded and they relaxed. She would not judge the boy on his apparent ability to use the Darkness but on his actions.

She smiled as Sora and Merlin appeared via Merlin’s method of teleportation, talking quietly together. Merlin nodded at her and approached her and the Cornerstone, humming softly to himself, calling Sora to his side. They talked as they wandered around and she looked to Donald who moved closer.

“Sora is Merlin’s apprentice,” he explained quietly, and that helped with her lingering doubts. Merlin would not train someone who was evil or heading towards being so.

“Interesting...”

“What's happening, Merlin?” She asked in concern.

“This is not good. In fact, I'm afraid, it's quite serious,” he cleared his throat, and then glanced at Sora who grimaced but shrugged, making her wonder if the Cornerstone was making him uncomfortable. Merlin waved his arms and a door appeared across the room.

Sora walked over to examine it. “Wow. This is…time?” he asked, and Merlin nodded, smiling proudly.

“My boy, that is a gateway to a special world. Someone in that world is responsible for what's going on in this castle. Of that, I'm certain.”

“Oh boy!”

“We knew we could count on you, Merlin!” Goofy grinned.

“Then we should go get him!” Sora looked at his companions who nodded. Sora walked over to the door and placed his hand on the handles.

“Wait a moment! The perpetrators must be stopped, of course. But there's something else to do first. Somewhere in that world, there should be another door that's identical to this one. I believe our enemies are utilizing that door. As long as it remains open, the castle will be in grave danger. Listen carefully, Sora, you must find that door. And when you do - lock it with your Keyblade,” Merlin ordered, and Sora nodded.

“Got it.”

“You can count on us!” Donald agreed.

“Now, one more thing. You're heading into a very special world, as Sora worked out, time magic is involved. While you're there, the nature of that world may tempt you to do something Dark. You must resist that temptation at all costs!” He warned.

“What do you mean?” the boy was definitely worried, wary.

“You'll know soon enough. I have faith in you, my lads!” Merlin smiled, and Sora straightened at his faith.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy caught Sora as he stumbled, gasping, a hand pressed to his chest, a small whine of pain coming from his throat. A glance ahead made Goofy feel sick even as he pulled Sora further back…and away from the Cornerstone.

“Wha…What's going on? Everything's black and white…it hurts,” he whimpered the last.

“This is kinda like...um...uh...” Donald stumbled over the right word.

“Deja vu?” he offered, as Sora slowly straightened the further they moved away from the stone.

“Yeah, that's it!” he nodded, but then grimaced as he looked at Sora. “That’s gonna be a problem when we fix things at the Castle.”

“Yeah,” Sora agreed sadly.

Goofy felt really bad about that, Sora had been so excited to see their home. What if…what if he was kept out by the Cornerstone once everything was fixed?

“Let’s find whoever is causing the trouble, then we can work everything else out,” Donald told him, and Sora nodded.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi sat on a boulder, staring out into the distance. She was so worried for Riku, there had been nothing since his cry for help, but she refused to even consider that he might be…gone. She’d been distracted since then, even after Sora had sent a message saying he’d felt the same thing, that Sora was fine and moving on to the next destination. She glanced over as Axel sat down beside her.

“You’re worried about Riku, that’s normal. You have to accept it and get your head in the game or else you’re a liability in the field.”

“You suck at pep talks,” she snorted, shaking her head.

“Nobody,” he shrugged, and she slapped his arm lightly.

“Don’t,” she told him. “Your heart may be tiny and new, but you do have one, so don’t talk about yourself like that.”

“You know, you’re nothing like I expected from a Princess of Heart.”

“Thanks, I think.” She grinned but then sobered. “Okay, back to training. I am not letting Sora go after him without me!” She stood up, determined, and Axel smirked.

“That’s the spirit.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“The thorns have disappeared!” Minnie called in relief.

“By George! The lads have accomplished their mission,” Merlin laughed, obviously proud of them.

“Hooray!” Chip cheered.

“Let's have an acorn feast to celebrate!” Dale added happily.

Donald suddenly fell out of the door into the room, followed by Sora and Goofy.

She fought back a laugh at his undignified entrance. “Welcome back! Because of your bravery, the castle is safe and protected again. Thank you so much for all you've done!”

“Good work, you guys!” Chip 'n' Dale told them, and Sora grinned at them.

“Now boys, I hope you didn't do anything reckless while you were there?” Merlin asked sternly but there was a smile hidden by his beard.

“Of course not!” Donald denied, but Sora and Goofy giggled, giving him away. So that was why he’d been thrown through.

Daisy peeked into the room and Minnie put a hand to her mouth, trying not to give anything away.

“Daisy!” Donald half yelped, half called, as Daisy walked in.

“Daisy, I'm back!”

“Who?” Sora whispered loudly to Goofy.

“Daisy is Donald's very special sweetheart,” Goofy answered just as ‘quietly’.

“Really...”

“Donald, you forgot about our date again! You'd better have a good excuse this time!”

“But Daisy...I...”

“I know it's an important mission, but you could at least check in every once in a while.”

Donald looked to Sora and Goofy for help, but then his eyes went wide. “Sora!” he yelled, and they all turned, Goofy barely catching him as the boy crumpled.

“Sora?”

“Oh dear!” Minnie rushed over, worried for the boy who her husband cared for and who had helped save their home. She knelt beside where Goofy was sitting, the boy cradled against his chest.

Merlin quickly joined them, even as Sora whimpered in pain. He touched Sora’s forehead and then frowned. “We must get him away from the Cornerstone. For some reason it is affecting him very badly when nothing else has,” the wizard explained. “Oh my!” he called as there was a crackle of magic around Sora, and then suddenly he looked very different. “That should not have happened!”

Minnie stared in shock at the claws, fangs, and…wings? She was sure Mickey had said he was human. What was he?

“We must go,” Merlin stated firmly.

Donald looked at her and then them. “I’ll bring the ship, go.”

Merlin nodded and the three vanished.

“Donald? What’s going on?” Daisy demanded, and he groaned but nodded.

“Let us retire to the library,” Minnie decided, and they left the Hall.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora groaned in pain, he really hated getting knocked unconscious. He slowly forced his eyes open to find himself staring up at a familiar ceiling.

“Welcome back.”

He turned his head to find Merlin sitting beside his bed. “What happn’d?” he asked, before a blood pack was pressed to his lips, drinking hungrily.

“You saved the Cornerstone and returned to the Castle. Unfortunately, you had a rather severe reaction to it.”

“Oh…” he looked away. He wasn’t Dark…was he? Yeah, he could use the Corridors, but so could Naminé and she was one of the gentlest people he knew!

“You cannot change what you have become Sora,” Merlin told him. “But what you are does not determine who you are. Yes, you can touch the Darkness, but you are not falling to it. Donald should be here soon, he remained behind to bring the ship back and explain to the Queen. For some reason, the illusion failed and she saw.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He floated in the dark, unable to move…to think…to remember… He had to…something important…someone… there was noise but he couldn’t understand, couldn’t respond…awareness faded away.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Saïx stared at the form on ‘Ansem’, the Sleep spell had been removed days ago and yet he showed no signs of waking. It was odd and made him think that perhaps something had gone wrong. Had the boy managed to fight somehow? Were they even now locked in battle? It was possible that both had been destroyed.

What a waste. They should have turned the boy into a Heartless and Nobody, at least he could have been useful. Seeing him like that would have caused the Keyblade bearer a lot of pain if they needed to motivate him.

Hearing that Axel had betrayed them was not so surprising. It meant they had even more members to replace, that was all, it did not matter to him personally. Axel had been useful to their plans and that was that.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel sat with the group at the table, eating a meal. Kairi and Sora were off wandering the town, something he was very reluctant to do. Besides, kids in love needed time together, without chaperones. Still, being around the Restoration Committee was strangely…uncomfortable. It wasn’t like he’d known any of them before, though he’d seen the Wizard around and he thought Leon as well…though under a different name? Maybe because they were a reminder of everything he’d lost?

Seemed Sora might be right about him somehow having a heart. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about that. If it was true then Xemnas had been lying to them all about a lot of things. Did Saïx know? His one-time friend had changed so much, even beyond what becoming a Nobody had done to himself or the others. He doubted Demyx would remain if he found out and could safely get away, he wasn’t sure about the others, maybe Luxord? Most of those who would have left if they had realised they were gaining a heart…had died at Castle Oblivion. Had that been the true point behind his orders? Nothing he could do about it now.

He shook his head, refocusing on the discussion, frowning as he listened. “Ventus?” he asked, unsure if he’d heard right.

“Ah yes, did you meet him?” Merlin asked.

“There was a blond kid with a wooden sword, said to call him Ven. The sword had another name on it…” he paused to think. “Terra?”

“Then it would have been Ventus you met. Yes, his heart has somehow come to reside within Sora’s, much like Kairi’s did when their home fell to Darkness. Although Ventus’ heart has been there for a long time, likely since shortly after he came here. I am looking at ways to remove it but before then we need either his body or another suitable vessel.”

“So you need access to the Replica program. A lot of that stuff was left behind at Castle Oblivion, I can retrieve it.”

“Take Sora for backup,” Leon told him.

Axel almost argued but gave in. It’d be more interesting with a partner and it’d give him time alone with the kid to see if he could figure out how he could open Corridors.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi held Sora’s hand as they wandered around the shops of Hollow Bastion. She wasn’t all that interested in actually buying anything, just spending time with him was what she wanted. He led her up some stairs above the shops, giving them a good view of the castle and the barren land around it. “Do you think she’s there?” she asked as they sat on the edge, feet swinging in the air.

“Yeah, I do. She…she really does care about Riku, or did before his possessed body stabbed her. We saw her at Mickey’s castle and I told her they took Riku.”

“What? Why?”

“Because she’s powerful, maybe enough to grab him, or at least distract the Organisation. Riku knows how to deal with her, he can keep himself safe.”

“Better the devil you know?” she asked, and she could feel him tip his head, taking that as confusion. “Leon said that once, seems to fit your idea.” She leant against his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her waist. “I want him back,” she whispered.

“I know, me too,” he answered, and she felt him press a kiss to her hair.

Every time he showed affection was wonderful. Sora had always been free with hugs and hand holding, but kisses were definitely new. He’d seemed hesitant at first, even before they had admitted their feelings, back when he’d woken up after freeing her heart. She’d been worried he felt guilty for what had happened to her but that didn’t seem to be it. And they hid it well, but she was sure that the whole group was keeping something from her, something about Sora, and that worried her.

“Sora?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?” she turned her head and pulled back enough to look at his face.

“Yeah, just…frustrated about having to wait,” he smiled slightly.

“Sorry,” she apologised. She knew his promise to take her was holding him back.

“For what?” he turned to face her, one leg tucked under himself.

“If you weren’t waiting for me then you could have gone after him already,” she answered softly.

“Maybe, maybe not. Merlin doesn’t think we’re ready yet, even with Axel as back up,” he shrugged, taking her hand again. “Everyone’s right, if we rush in…we risk Riku…”

“Dying?” she asked quietly, and he nodded. “At least this time he’s not possessed,” she offered, and Sora laughed.

“There’s that.” His attention moved off of her, gazing at the town square below, frowning.

“Sora?” she turned to look, and then scrambled up as Heartless formed.

A flex of his hand and the Keyblade appeared before he glanced at her. She straightened, took a deep breath, and then threw a fireball into their midst, getting a laugh from Sora.

“Guess I don’t have to ask then,” he said before launching into the air, landing in the remains of the fire, taking out several Soldiers in one slash.

Kairi kept to the high ground, throwing magic where she could without risking hitting Sora.

_TBC…_


	23. ch23

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 23**

Sora spun, letting out a blast of Thunder to mix with the Blizzard spell Kairi had used, amplifying the electrical current. The defence system was good, but it took more than one hit of it to take out anything beyond a Shadow. He was proud of the power behind the spells Kairi was casting, she was getting really good.

He grimaced as more Heartless formed, where were they all coming from? Sora dodged a blast of fire from a Red Nocturne, returning fire with a Blizzard spell. He spared a glance towards Kairi again and growled when he spotted two Large Bodies form behind her.

“Look out!” he yelled even as he twisted away from another one. He flipped over it and drove the Keyblade into its unprotected back along with a Thunder spell, destroying it.

Sora heard her scream and didn’t even think, launching himself into the air, his wings spreading out to provide lift. He slammed into the one that had knocked her over, pushing it away from her even as he landed protectively in front of her. He snarled, baring his fangs, fighting the urge to dig claws in, to use the Keyblade instead.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi pushed herself up into a sitting position, her head and back pounding. She heard a snarl of rage and blinked, looking for any creature that could make it but there was nothing….just her, Sora in front of her, and the…she thought they were Large Bodies? Sora was half crouched, the Keyblade held low…he was defending her. She reached for her magic to caste a Cure spell on herself.

She looked up again and her eyes widened as she saw Sora block one of them, without being pushed back. She knew he’d gotten stronger but that was crazy strong! He actually tossed it back! He had to shift to the side to do it, and the second rushed at her. She moved, trying to scramble out of the way…and then Sora was there. She blinked, frowning, what? There was a wound on the Heartless…from Sora’s bare hand? But it looked like something had clawed it? That didn’t make any sense.

She rolled to the side, hissing in pain as a Shadow’s sharp claws raked down her arm. She gasped as Sora was suddenly there, lips drawn back in a snarl as he raked his hand through the Shadow, destroying it.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé was terrified, she was sneaking right into the stronghold of those who had used her to such horrible things. She had to be crazy and yet…she couldn’t abandon him. Riku meant everything to Sora, and after so long piecing his memories back together he meant something to her too. Even if it destroyed her, she had to help him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora heard Kairi make a noise of pain and his vision went red. He tore the Heartless apart mercilessly, his only thought to protect her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi could only watch with wide eyes as Sora ripped through the Heartless with a viciousness she’d never seen from him before. She blinked, rubbing her eyes, was she…seeing things? For a second she could have sworn Sora had wings, but that was impossible! Wasn’t it? The last Heartless vanished and he stood with his back to her, panting harshly.

“Sora?” she called, and he spun to face her, Kairi gasping, a hand going to her mouth. His eyes…

Sora stared at her, looking confused. “Kairi?” his voice sounded slightly different though she couldn’t figure out why.

All she could do was stare into crimson eyes, fighting down panic. He went to reach for her and she stiffened, Sora snatching his hand back with wide eyes. He stumbled back a step and then turned and ran, leaping off the edge they’d been sitting on earlier and she screamed, reaching for him. By the time she reached the edge, she could see him hit the ground, rolling to absorb the impact, before running off. Right….Sora was really good with magic that had anything to do with the air and flying…

“Kairi?” a voice called, and she turned to see Leon approaching, Gunblade in hand as he scanned the area for danger.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leon had been worried when Cid began cursing about the defence system activating at full in the market district, especially when he realised that was where the kids had been heading. He doubted Sora would have issues but Kairi? He pushed through a crowd of people who were evacuating, used to Heartless attacks. By the time he reached the market all was quiet…and there was no sign of Sora and Kairi….no, there she was. He leapt up the ledge and then took the stairs.

“Kairi?” he called, Gunblade still in hand as he kept an eye out for any more threats, wondering where Sora was. She looked at him and then pointed down, had Sora fallen? “What happened?”

“He…he jumped,” she whispered shakily, and Leon reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder.

He knew he wasn’t the most comforting of the group but he was better at it then Cloud at least. Sora jumping didn’t worry him at all, between being a vampire and his control of any air based magic there was no way he would be harmed even from such a large jump. A glance down showed Sora nowhere within his visual range.

“Why did he jump, Kairi? Was he hurt?”

“He…” she swallowed, and he had the sinking feeling Sora’s secret may have been revealed.

They had warned him that he needed to tell his friends before something happened. now it seemed, Sora had waited too long.

“Come on, let’s get you back to Merlin’s, then I’ll look for Sora.” He pulled her away from the ledge, if she fell that would be very bad.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora huddled into the crystalline walls of the canyon, hiding. He…he’d…he hugged his knees to his chest and buried his face. He’d never wanted anyone to look at him like that…but Kairi? He’d lost control and that was his own stupid fault.

“Well, well, what do we have here?”

“Leave me alone,” he hissed.

“Come now, you are practically on my doorstep child,” she chided, and Sora lifted his head to stare at her.

She stood in front of him, her hand wrapped around her staff, looking exactly as she always did. Sora leant his head back against the wall, knowing his cheeks were wet with tears, absently wondering if they would appear blood tinted or not, uncaring if the illusion was still in place or had fallen. He had the feeling she knew he wasn’t human even if she didn’t know what he was.

“They took Riku and now…Kairi’s scared of me,” he whispered.

“Ah yes, this Organisation. And why have they taken him?”

“They were aiming for Kairi, Riku shielded her and got knocked out so they took him…as leverage. They want me killing Heartless, they want Kingdom Hearts.”

“Indeed… well, that cannot be allowed, can it?” she smirked down at him. “Your training with Merlin has served you well, but you need further tutelage in the Dark powers.”

“And you’re offering?” he pushed himself to his feet, feeling his wings stretch out briefly…and her eyes followed the motion.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent stared down at the teenager before her, taking in his true form. He was incredible and yet despite the Darkness of his kind, Darkness she could tell he could use, he was firmly settled in the Light. Still, she could teach him if he was willing. She had come to respect him and she knew Riku cared for him, deeply.

Seeing his wings brought back painful memories and she wondered if they were large enough to allow him true flight, or if he had to use magic to achieve it. She was unsure what exactly he was, she had never seen his kind before that she was aware of.

“Sora!” a voice called.

“Consider my offer,” she bowed her head to him slightly out of respect and then vanished in green flames.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leon was utterly relieved when he spotted the boy leaning against the crystalline walls of the ravine. Why hadn’t he answered his calls? Then he realised he wasn’t seeing a human form overlaying his true one. The illusion had fallen in the fight then, but why hadn’t it re-activated yet?

“Sora?”

The young vampire looked over at him, revealing a tear streaked face, although he was no longer actively crying.

“Are you injured?” he asked in concern, but Sora shook his head.

“K…Kairi?” Sora asked, stammering slightly.

“I got her to Merlin’s, she’s fine,” he promised, moving closer. He was relieved to see no sign of injury, Sora did hide those when he thought they weren’t worth mentioning. “Come on, let’s get you home. Do you need to feed?”

Sora shook his head. “She was scared of me.”

“Sora the illusion is down. With no warning, no hint…can you blame her?”

Sora looked away in shame, and Leon sighed, he really wasn’t good at this!

“We’ll go back and talk, help her understand. She loves you Sora, although I doubt she’ll be happy you’ve been hiding this, with time she’ll understand.” He hoped so anyway.

Without the love and support of Kairi and Riku…who knew what that would do to him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora walked away with Leon, glancing at the Castle in the distance once, almost able to feel Maleficent watching them. It didn’t worry him at all, he thought they’d come to a kind of understanding. He didn’t know what to think about her offer of training, he didn’t think there was a plot behind it…more the fact they both cared about Riku.

His feet dragged the closer they got to Merlin’s, terrified of Kairi’s reaction.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He was Ansem…was he?...Was he Riku? The words meant nothing, but they were important…weren’t they? There was something….someone?....he had to find…

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yen Sid stared out of the window of his study, frowning in thought. They should have found Sora by now and returned, yet there had been nothing. The stars were worryingly quiet on events concerning the Keyblade wielder and his friends. Perhaps he should summon the gummi ship the next time it was between Worlds to receive an update.

At least he had heard from Mickey, it was good to know his old apprentice was safe and investigating the Organisation.

Maleficent’s return, and in his own Tower!, was concerning, but for the moment he considered her the lesser threat.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Aerith made sure Kairi had a nice hot cup of chocolate, perfect for dealing with shock. Of all the ways to learn of Sora’s vampirism, that was definitely in the top three. They had all warned him…now all they could do was try and calm things down, and pray Kairi could accept him. She knew how the other Princesses had reacted when they first saw him at the Castle, but Kairi had never seemed to notice. Would that change now? Although Sora had said that the Princesses he’d seen since had been kinder, apologetic, in the way they treated him.

“Is Sora…”

“I’m sure he’s fine, Leon will find him,” Aerith assured her gently.

“His eyes…” she whispered fearfully.

“It will be alright,” at least Aerith hoped it would. It would be understandable if Kairi was mad at him for not telling her, they’d urged him to many times. But they also didn’t blame him for his reluctance.

“You know something,” Kairi glared at her, and Aerith sighed but nodded.

“We all know, because they came to us, well Merlin actually, but we all ended up involved. Sora has wanted to tell you from the start but…he’s also been terrified to. Kairi, you know Sora would never hurt you? He loves you so much, you and Riku both. It was torture for him the whole time he couldn’t find either of you and then when he thought he’d killed Riku even briefly. This last year when Riku was sleeping…those short trips to you were all that kept him going.” She hoped she wasn’t saying too much, but Kairi needed to understand just how much power she held over Sora, hopefully she would trust him and not hurt him, even accidentally.

The front door opened and Leon stepped inside, Aerith able to sense Sora too which meant he was using Leon’s larger form to hide himself.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi didn’t know what to feel. Something had obviously happened to Sora, and it sounded like it whatever it was, it had happened a while ago. That everyone at Merlin’s knew and had said nothing… how could Sora’s eyes be red? Maybe…the wings hadn’t been a trick of the light?

She felt her breath hitch as the door opened behind her, forcing herself to turn, seeing Leon…only Leon. No…she could feel Sora, dimmer than usual, but...behind him. Kairi took a deep breath and stood up even as Leon shifted aside to reveal Sora, looking like he always did, his eyes downcast even as he fidgeted.

“Sora?” She whispered, and he looked up hesitantly.

Leon reached out and pushed Sora closer to her, Sora looking ready to bolt. And that…made her feel a bit better, because that was a very Sora reaction to maybe being in trouble with her.

“Sora?” she called again.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora felt frozen, unable to move, even after Leon gave him a helping shove forward. How was he meant to tell her? He’d kissed her, held her, without giving her any warning that he wasn’t human anymore…was nothing more than an animated corpse. She had every right to hate him for that.

He was shocked when she walked over and smacked his shoulder, not that it hurt.

“Don’t you ever do that again!” She half yelled at him. “Don’t you ever jump…”

He flinched, realising his jumping had terrified her. He’d just panicked and it wasn’t like it’d kill him. “Sorry.” He could feel that they’d been left alone and he wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or worse.

“Sora…what…what did I see?” she whispered shakily.

“I…” he swallowed hard. “I’m sorry…I should have…” he forced himself to take a deep, unneeded, breath. “I should have told you in Traverse Town,” he admitted softly. “I shouldn’t have kissed you or anything without telling you…what you were kissing.”

He glanced up, seeing her frown.

“What do you mean by ‘what’ I was kissing?” She moved closer but he backed away.

“I messed up in Halloween Town, Kairi… I’m sorry.”

“For what?” she reached for his hand but he shook his head.

“Please…don’t be scared,” he pleaded, unable to tell her, but he could show her. He slipped his jacker off, reaching up his arm for the armband. He couldn’t bear to meet her eyes as he pulled it off, feeling the magic fall, revealing fully what he looked like to her. He kept his head down, unable to look at her reaction.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Please…don’t be scared,” Sora pleaded with her before slipping his jacket off, lifting a hand to his upper arm, removing…an armband?

She froze as his appearance changed. Bat like wings stretched briefly from his back before settling mostly out of sight and his hands ended in claws, not finger nails. Even with his head bowed, she could see…fangs peeking out over his bottom lip. Was this really Sora? His skin was so pale…like he never saw the sun.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

He could hear her heart racing, could smell her shock and…fear? He didn’t want her to be scared of him, it was one of his worst nightmares, for Kairi and Riku to be scared of him, to hate him for what he had become. He couldn’t make himself look at her, not wanting to see her looking at him like…like he was a monster.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi stared at him, trying to work out what was going on. How could this be Sora? He…he wasn’t human. He said he messed up…had someone done this to him? Her heart was racing, she was scared, but she was also…drawn to him. There was something scary but also beautiful about him.

“Sora?” she called his name and he flinched, she heard…did he just whimper? “Sora look at me,” she whispered.

Ever so slowly he lifted his head, revealing crimson eyes but…there were flecks of familiar blue in there still. He…he was scared, of her? Donald, Goofy, Merlin…they all believed he was Sora, they had been with him the whole time back then. She closed her eyes, reaching out with her heart.

“Sora,” she whispered, taking a step towards him, holding her hand out to him.

He stared at her with wide eyes, remaining utterly still, and she was worried he’d bolt again.

She moved closer, reaching her hand out to him, and his gaze dropped to her extended hand. “Sora,” she called his name again.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared at Kairi’s hand, she wasn’t running? He looked back up at her, his fingers curling into a fist before he very slowly lifted his hand towards her. Their fingers laced together, Sora being very, very, careful of his claws. “Kairi?” he was just grateful that after what added up to several years of practice meant he’d learnt to speak clearly with his fangs.

She offered a shaky smile and then she was moving even closer, right up against him. Her free hand moved to cup his cheek and he leant into her touch. He felt her shiver slightly at the coldness of his skin and went to pull back but she didn’t let him, letting go of his hand to wrap around his waist. She shifted up, using him to balance, pressing her lips to his, and he sobbed, wrapping both arms around her, holding her close.

“Shh, it’s okay Sora,” Kairi whispered.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he choked out.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora was ice cold to the touch and she couldn’t help the shiver but she wouldn’t let him pull away. She pressed her lips to his, not trying to deepen it, not sure how with the fangs, her heart breaking when she heard him sob, his arms wrapping around her tightly, holding her close.

“Shh, it’s okay Sora,” she whispered, hating to hear him cry.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he choked out.

She wasn’t sure what he was apologising for but she hushed him, stroking his cheek gently. Did this explain how quickly he’d grown or was it really just time spent in one of Merlin’s time spell areas? He looked so different but his hair, the shape of his face, his expression…it was all Sora. She kissed him again and his hold on her shifted, supporting her fully so she wasn’t having to balance. Her hand moved up from his cheek and into his hair, her other hand still resting around his waist. She could feel his hesitance, he was holding her like she was glass, trembling slightly, and she hated it. She didn’t care what had happened to him, he was still her Sora…hopefully their Sora.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Kairi,” he breathed softly. “I…I’m not,” he stopped and took a deep breath. He then took her hand from his waist and pressed it to his wrist instead, confusing her, but then she frowned, pressing her fingers in….there was nothing. He had no pulse in his wrist, how was that possible?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yuffie paced the hall, worried. Thanks to Merlin they couldn’t eavesdrop on what was happening between Kairi and Sora, she could only hope it was going okay. Leon was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, looking unconcerned, but she knew him better than that. He was as worried as she was. If Kairi rejected him… no, think positive!

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé left the Corridor, looking around warily. She’d done it, she’d made it to the Organisation’s base. Now all she had to do was find Riku, hoping she was in time to help him.

_TBC…._


	24. ch24

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 24**

Sora stopped breathing as her fingers pressed into what should be a pulse point, knowing there was nothing for her to feel, seeing her expression change to one of confusion and worry. “I died…in Halloween Town,” he whispered. “We’d sealed the keyhole, thought it was safe…I was walking alone.” He took a shaky breath, and she lifted her hand off his wrist to gently cup his cheek.

“Sora…” she sounded lost and confused, and he hated it.

“Have you…ever heard of vampires?” he asked shakily.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi lay curled on her side, unable to sleep, too many thoughts spinning around her head. Sora…was a vampire, had been since before she had woken in Hollow Bastion. He…he wasn’t human anymore…Sora had even called himself a walking corpse. It hurt to hear himself say such things about himself.

Merlin’s explanation had been kinder and far more detailed. She’d insisted on seeing the crystal recording of Sora’s ‘turning’ and his screams would haunt her for a long time. Seeing him in such pain as the venom worked through his body, killing him slowly, changing him from human. Sora hadn’t stayed to watch, had left with Leon and Cloud instead. Seeing Sora as a new vampire, how animalistic he’d been, unable to speak, acting on instinct… it had hurt to see him like that but even then, he hadn’t really tried to hurt anyone.

Sora didn’t eat, didn’t have a heartbeat, only breathed to speak, he drank blood…did that change anything? She loved Sora, she did, had for years, she just didn’t know how to deal with what she’d learnt. Then there was Riku, who didn’t know yet what had happened to Sora. Would he blame himself? Donald and Goofy had shared stories of the short time they’d travelled with him, he sounded like the Riku she remembered from home, before he’d begun to change. He’d been so desperate to find Sora…she could see him blaming himself for opening the door and starting the whole thing.

Now that she knew about it, she could feel the Darkness in Sora, Darkness she’d blinded herself to before. Apparently the other Princesses hadn’t. Sora was a Dark creature and yet he still wielded the Keyblade, still fought to protect the Worlds. Did what he had become change who he was at all?

She hugged her pillow tight but then stiffened as she felt her door silently open, reaching for her magic even as she sensed a presence…. “Sora?” she whispered, lifting her head, unable to see in the dark.

“Are…are you okay?” he whispered, hovering in the doorway. “Your…well your heart has been racing. I can stay somewhere else if….if you…”

“No!” she yelled. No, he couldn’t leave her. She reached out for him, knowing he could see as well in the dark as in the day, better even. “Sora please,” she whispered, not wanting to wake everyone.

She heard the door close, his shoe scuff on the floor, realising he was making noise so she could know where he was. A hesitant, hand touched hers and she clutched it. She could see both forms at once now, apparently that was how the spell had been made, but to touch, he was all vampire despite the illusion being in place. She tugged his hand and he stood still, too strong now for her to move if he didn’t want to, but then he gave in and sat stiffly on the edge of her bed.

She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his shoulder, breathing in his scent, even that was different but she didn’t care. She’d made her choice. “I love you,” she whispered, feeling him tremble in her embrace. She shifted around, tugging him with her, until they were lying down, face to face. She stroked his cheek and then let her hand run down his face, neck, shoulder…finding the band, tugging at it experimentally, but it didn’t move.

“Only Merlin and I can take it off,” he admitted softly.

She nodded and kept running her hands over his body, feeling him shiver when she’d brush bare flesh. Now that the illusion was just an overlay to her, she could feel how cold he was and wondered how hot she had to feel to him in return. His changed form was less startling in the dark, letting her get comfortable with it through touch.

“I love you Sora,” she whispered before slowly leaning in for a kiss. They bumped noses since she couldn’t see in the dark and Sora seemed frozen again. She found his lips, gently kissing him, feeling his fangs press against her lips. “Going to kiss me?” she asked, and then blinked as the bedside lamp turned on.

Sora stared at her, lifting his hand to brush her hair back from her face. He touched her cheek and she leant into his hand, trusting him to not cut her with his claws. He studied her face and she stared back, refusing to flinch from his cold skin. “You really still want…” he trailed off, unable to finish.

She lifted her hands to hold his face and then leant in to kiss him firmly. “You’re still the same person I’ve known almost all my life and I love you,” she told him sternly. “So how do you kiss with fangs?” she asked, startling a laugh out of him.

“Don’t know,” he admitted. “It’s not just two,” he warned, guiding her hand carefully to his mouth.

She slipped her finger under his lip, finding another fang on the bottom jaw, assuming that meant they were a pair. “So we’ll have to be careful,” she told him, able to see the amazement in his eyes. She thought the red was the most startling part of his change, but she focused on the blue flecks. “You won’t hurt me.”

She leant in for another kiss, happy when Sora kissed back. She wrapped her arms around him, Sora copying her, running clawed hands over her shoulders since he couldn’t reach anything else, he was on top of the covers but she was under them. She went to kick them off but he stopped her, rolling so he was leaning over her as they kissed.

“I love you,” he whispered so softly she barely heard him, but she did.

She ran her fingers through his hair and then down his back, careful of his wings. She watched as they shifted and then stretched. “Can I?” she asked when they parted for her to breath, and he nodded.

She stroked the base and he shivered, pupils expanding, and she froze, but he whined softly. Very carefully, she moved her fingers across cold skin and then up to touch the wing, the skin on it was more like leather. Sora’s hands flexed on her shoulders even as his back arched, pressing into her touch, giving her more confidence to touch more firmly.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé ducked down behind the wall, a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound of her breathing. The castle was full of Nobodies, making her search very, very slow. She was deep inside now, if she had to run, she’d have to use a Corridor and that would alert them to her presence, let them track her since she didn’t have a coat. She was assuming they would be holding Riku in whatever passed as a dungeon.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent went the entry, sensing an intrusion, surprised and yet pleased to see the familiar figure standing there. “You came,” she said, staring down at him as Sora looked up at her.

He surprised her by bowing slightly, but it pleased her that he would show manners to her in her own home, no matter how dilapidated the castle was. “You offered training Ma’am.”

Well, that was a surprise but she smiled. “Indeed. Come, there is much I can teach you.” She motioned for him to walk with her and he easily leapt up to join her. “I assume you cannot remain here for training.”

He shook his head. “Most of the group would not approve but Merlin knows I’m here, he said that you are not only very powerful but that you have skills he doesn’t. Some of the magic he wanted to teach me, I can’t learn.”

“And some of what I would teach will likely be the same.” The Darkest of Magics would likely be beyond him but that was not important. “You were human the first time I saw you in Traverse Town.”

“Yeah, and now I’m not,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair even as his wings flexed. “Have you ever been to Halloween Town?”

“No, although Oogie Boogie was a member of our group.”

“I got grabbed there after sealing the Keyhole. I’m told her name is Imelda, not that I was awake to meet her. She did this to me, she turned me.”

She listened as he gave her the basics. A vampire, she had not seen that coming at all. It definitely explained why someone so light had Darkness so deeply imbedded within him. Somehow it worked for him, a balance between the two and while she was curious about what would happen should that balance tip…she would not cause it. She had the feeling that should he fall to the Darkness, very few would be able to stop him and even fewer control him.

Maleficent took him to the chamber where she had conducted Riku’s training. “Show me what you can do with the Darkness and then we shall see what you can learn.”

“I can open and use Dark Corridors, that’s it. I learnt from watching some Nobodies. I’m also not very good with fire magic, thanks to Merlin I’m no more vulnerable to it than a human would be but using it myself really drains my magic reserves,” he explained.

“Light fire perhaps, you may have more success with Dark fire. Let us begin.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

It was a good thing he couldn’t sleep or else he’d be exhausted from travelling to Maleficent’s castle every night possible for training. He was just glad they were still at Merlin’s, it doubled his training with both of them but it meant time with Kairi.

Every night they spent time in her room until she fell asleep. They talked and kissed but never let it get as heated as the first night. They had come very close, too close, to going further then they were actually ready to. She kept her hands away from his wings now, they were way too sensitive. Once she was asleep, he’d head for the castle to train. Kairi didn’t expect him to spend the entire night just lying at her side and while he was happy to do that on some nights, he knew he would get bored if he did it every night, she did too. He was far too active to spend so long lying down. She was seventeen, it surprised him none of the others said anything about them being alone in her room at night.

He and Axel were leaving in the morning for Castle Oblivion and he didn’t want to, he wanted to stay with her until they left to find Riku. He knew he couldn’t, he had to keep the Organisation from needing to use Riku to get his attention, who knew what they thought would be a good method….what if they turned him into a Heartless, then they’d have control of his Nobody because Riku was definitely strong enough to have a human one. Even as a Nobody, without emotion, Riku wouldn’t want to fight him, would he? He’d remember the emotions and how much Sora and Kairi meant to him.

And not all the trouble was due to the Organisation. Maleficent was up to something via Pete…although he thought she was backing off of that to look for Riku herself. He didn’t ask about her plans and she didn’t ask about his. She had asked him about Riku and he had told her about Castle Oblivion, about how his memory had been changed and then erased, only for Naminé to then piece it back together while Riku slept for a year.

He was not looking forward to returning to the Castle where things had gone so wrong. They didn’t know if the Organisation might still be visiting it, Axel had said that the leader wanted a room there found. He was kind of looking forward to working with Axel though.

He ran his fingers through Kairi’s hair, kissing the top of her head, before slipping off the bed. He grabbed his boots and left her room, closing the door behind him. He went down to the main room, putting his boots on, watching Merlin putter around some potions.

“Anything interesting?” he asked, and Merlin looked over at him.

“Healing potions,” Merlin answered. “How is the training going?” he asked as Sora stood.

“Slow but steady. I’ll be back in the morning.” He left the house and teleported to the training room in the Castle.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Ready for this?” Axel asked as Sora joined him out in the Bailey. Merlin had forbidden Dark Corridors in or too close to the house due to his protections on the place.

“As I’ll ever be,” the teen shrugged. “Think the Organisation will be there?”

“Maybe, though not in significant numbers. The lot of us did a number on their numbers at the Castle and no replacements have been found yet. Doesn’t mean there won’t be a ton of lesser Nobodies,” he warned.

“Right, so be ready to fight.”

Axel nodded and pulled up his hood, Sora copying him. He opened a corridor and headed through, Sora on his heels. They moved quickly, silently, through the Darkness until they emerged in the Castle. He moved for the stairs but then realised Sora wasn’t following him. “What is it?”

“Do you smell that?” he asked, looking around, before kneeling, and Axel moved back to his side. He picked up a piece of fabric and actually sniffed it.

“Uh, Sora?” Axel eyed him as Sora stood.

“This way,” he took off running and Axel followed.

He didn’t know what the kid was chasing or how cause he didn’t see anything except the scrap of off-white fabric. They made it up a few levels and then entered a corridor where they slowed and Axel spotted a figure slumped against the wall up ahead.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora knew the fabric, knew the scent, and rushed through the Castle to find him. There had been no sight of him since he’d left them after Marluxia was killed. He’d wanted to look for him but hadn’t known where to start and had gotten caught up with keeping the Organisation focused on him as well as training. When he saw the figure slumped against the wall he rushed over and knelt beside him. “Riku? Can you hear me?” he called softly, not knowing what else to call him. He wasn’t going to call him Replica or something.

There was no blood but did Replica’s bleed? He carefully reached out and lifted his head, seeing his eyelids flicker.

“Is this really your friend?” Axel asked, watching their backs.

“Doesn’t look too young to you?” Sora asked even as he gently tapped a pale cheek. “Not to mention the Dark clothing.”

“The Replica?” Axel sounded shocked, and Sora nodded.

“He left after we beat Marluxia, I’ve seen no sign of him since. Know anything about how his body works? There’s no blood but he’s definitely hurt.” Sora felt his pulse, it was slow but not dangerously, for a normal human. He could hear a physical heart beating slowly but he couldn’t smell blood.

Cyan eyes slowly fluttered open, struggling to focus as Sora moved his hand back to cup his cheek. “So…” he slurred, head heavy against Sora’s hand.

“It’s me,” he assured him.

“We should move out of the open,” Axel suggested, and Sora nodded.

“I’m going to pick you up,” he warned Riku, moving to slip one arm under his knees, the other around his back. He lifted him carefully, not wanting to hurt him more. “We should get him to Merlin.”

“Yeah,” Axel agreed, opening a Corridor, keeping watch as Sora carried Riku through and then following.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi looked up as the door opened and then Sora rushed in, a body in his arms… “Riku!” she cried in alarm, going to move closer only to have Axel hold her back.

“It’s not him,” her training partner told her. “It’s a Replica.”

She watched Sora gently lay him…it?...on the bed in the corner and Merlin moved over.

“What happened?” the wizard asked as he began looking Riku over.

“We found him like this in Castle Oblivion,” Sora answered. “He regained consciousness briefly and recognised me.” He kept a hand on the boy’s shoulder…comforting him?

He’d told her about the Replica the Organisation had made of Riku, how they’d played with its memories too. Did it remember her or Naminé? His presence could be helpful though, Sora had told her about the heart that was within his, maybe this younger Riku could help them find out a way to make Ventus a body. Sora had explained what this Riku had been like, how he’d been like Riku was before the Islands fell and after. But he’d also been willing to fight and defend Naminé, had spoken nicely with Sora, so maybe he could grow beyond what he had been made as?

She moved closer, looking down at the still body, wearing a very odd outfit. He looked how she remembered Riku and not how he had looked when she saw him on the Play Island. “Is he going to be alright?” she asked.

Sora took her hand, leaving the other on his shoulder. “I don’t know. There’s no blood…”

“Don’t think they bleed. Vexen kept the Replica process pretty secret but they aren’t human. Got it memorised?”

“He has feelings of his own, he’s human enough.”

She squeezed his hand, understanding why he was sensitive to that kind of thing. A lot would call Sora a monster now because he drank blank and didn’t have a pulse. Not that Axel knew that, he was the only one there who didn’t know Sora was a vampire. It showed how Sora had changed, before he would have told anyone he believed to be on his side. Axel was helping them but was he really on their side?

They watched as Merlin worked, and then Riku shuddered, gasping, before his eyes opened and he tried to scramble away.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Easy, it’s okay, you’re safe,” Sora quickly told him, leaning into view. “Just breath Riku,” he soothed, meeting wild cyan eyes as they locked on him.

“S…Sor…a?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Does anything hurt?” he asked, and Riku’s gaze wandering from him to Merlin and then Kairi, showing no recognition of her, proving he still had the fake memories of Naminé instead. It made sense, he’d left without letting her restore the real memories that he had originally been given.

“Hurt?” he mumbled, trying to sit up again.

“Easy young man, you’ve had quite the trying time,” Merlin told him, and Riku focused on him, looking confused.

“It’s okay Riku, this is Merlin, he wants to help you,” Sora explained gently.

“Why…not real,” he was becoming more alert which had to be a good sign.

“Hey, remember what I told you before you left? It doesn’t matter if someone made you,” he grinned at Riku who just stared at him. “Oh, Riku, this is Kairi. Naminé is her Nobody and I’m not sure where she is at the moment. She spent a year fixing the other Riku’s memory and then Axel, the redhead over there,” he pointed, and Riku briefly looked towards him before looking back at Sora, “he got her out safely but she went off on her own.”

“Not him, not Riku,” he muttered, eyelids drooping.

“Well then, you’ll need to pick something for us to call you, we can help if you want. You just get some rest and get better,” Sora smiled at him as Riku drifted off. He looked at Merlin. “Will he be okay?”

“I believe the damage has been fixed, although I must admit his body is unlike anything I have dealt with before. He is one of the Replica’s you mentioned?” Merlin looked to Axel as well and they both nodded. “I shall run some tests then while he sleeps, see if I cannot recreate such a feat magically for young Ventus. The longer he is within you…well.”

Sora nodded, understanding what he wasn’t saying. His vampirism hadn’t affected Kairi but she hadn’t been with him all that long after he was turned. The sooner Ventus’ heart could be removed the more likely he was going to still be human. Although thanks to magic he was several years old now which meant it was likely Ventus had picked up at least some of the traits, his heart shifting in reaction to Sora’s. Unless he as somehow totally separate even while resting within.

_TBC…_

_Please suggest what this Riku would like to be called._


	25. ch25

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_Poll for the Replica’s name is still up so please vote if you haven’t already._

**Chapter 25**

Sora left the ship and stretched, the trip was boring whenever there was a break from Heartless shooting at them. He didn’t like leaving before Riku was awake, but it had been two days and he was showing no signs of waking yet. Merlin was doing everything he could to study him and ensure he would be alright, but he was a wizard, not a scientist.

He absently rubbed his chest, hoping Ventus was alright. He remembered him now thanks to the whole vampire memory thing, at least he thought it was Ventus. That evening on the beach with Riku when he’d cried without knowing why…he’d spoken with a light, offered him a safe place, he hoped that was Ventus because if it wasn’t then Merlin had missed someone. He really hoped that wasn’t the case, he didn’t think he could deal with that. He was scared that his change would have affected Ventus, would he blame Sora?

He shook off thoughts of Ventus and anything going on at Merlin’s as a scream sounded in the distance. “Something's up!” he took off running for the stone stairs.

“Organization XIII?” Goofy asked as they ran.

“Or the Heartless!” Donald added.

“Only one way to find out,” he pointed out, leaping down the last ones to land on the ground, seeing the pier and large wooden ship docked at it.

In front of it was a gathering of men…and Pete. Wonderful. He knew that despite the growing truce with Maleficent that she would not let him interfere in her plans which meant that Pete would fight them, as much as the coward ever fought anyway. The odds had to be seriously in his favour for him to stick around long.

“Hey!” he yelled out as they rushed towards the gathering.

“See there? I knew it! Those are the punks I was tellin' ya about,” Pete yelled, pointing at them which meant the group was probably the bad guys.

“Who are you calling punks? It's Sora, Donald, and Goofy to you! And don't you forget it!” he called his Keyblade and readied for a fight.

“That we won't. And we'll engrave it on your tombstone, to be sure,” the leader sneered at them.

“Whoa! I like your style,” Pete smirked, and Sora glared at him.

“Men, half of you stay here and indulge these cullies. The rest, bring me that medallion!” the leader commanded before leaving with the search party.

“Aye!” The pirates split in different directions, some staying behind.

“Aw, we only get to stomp on a few of you?” he taunted as they went on the attack. Donald and Goofy were having no effect on the pirates and Sora only did when he tapped the Darker magics. “It's no use! We can't beat them!” he hissed in aggravation. He could injure them but finishing them wasn’t happening. Was he going to have to drain them?

“Aye, whaddya expect?” the current leader laughed even as the full moon was revealed, and Sora grimaced at the sight of their true forms. Suddenly, his didn’t seem at all bad. “You'd best be sayin' your prayers!”

“Hey, watch out! They can see ya! Stay away from their magic!” Pete yelled in warning.

Before they could ask why or do anything, Sora sent a blast of Thunder at them, blasting them off their feet, killing several of them, shocking them. After that, beating the rest relatively easily in the moonlight. Pete didn’t stick around either.

“If Pete's here, that must mean we have work to do.”

“Yep. And that pirate captain looked pretty mean, too,” Goofy agreed.

“Man, I'd hate to see him turn into a Heartless,” Sora shuddered, that guy was just all kinds of horrible.

“Well, we ARE here...”

“Hey, maybe we can take a pirate ship out for a spin!” he smirked as they stared at him, laughing. “Just kidding! Weren't those guys headed into town?”

“Yeah. I think they were looking for treasure.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You can release me. You have your trinket; I'm of no further value to you.”

Barbossa held up the gold medallion between his fingers. “This is no trinket, missy. This is cursed Aztec gold. One of eight hundred and eighty-two identical pieces they delivered in a stone chest to Cortez himself,” he explained.

“I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Captain Barbossa,” Elizabeth shook her head, unable to believe he was trying to scare her with such silly things.

“That's exactly what I thought. Buried on an Island of Dead what cannot be found 'cept for those who know where it is. Find it, we did. There be the chest. Inside be the gold. And we took 'em all! We spent 'em and traded 'em and frittered 'em away on drink and food and pleasurable company,” he stood up, and she slipped her knife up her sleeve, it wasn’t much but it was something. “The more we gave 'em away, the more we came to realize... the drink would not satisfy, and food turned to ash in our mouths. We are cursed men, Miss Turner. Compelled by greed, we were, but now... we are consumed by it.”

“How very sad for you.” Even if it was true, they would have brought their fate upon themselves. There were plenty of ways to earn an honest living upon the sea.

“There is one way we can end our curse. All the scattered pieces of the Aztec gold must be gathered and restored to the stone chest. And the blood of every soul who touched a piece o' the treasure must be repaid,” he walked towards the window to look out at the sea, and Elizabeth glanced around for anything else useful. “Miss Turner! For ten years we've searched every league of these waters, every town and village - preying on sailors and settlers alike! Eight hundred and eighty-one pieces we found, but despaired of ever finding the last. All those years, you been safe in your bed, readin' your pirate stories, dreamin' of adventure on the high seas - we've endured torments worse than death itself!” he turned to face her.

“But now, thanks to ye, we have the final piece, at last. When this medallion is restored to the chest, we'll be free to roam the seas as men. No longer will we be ghosts!”

“And the blood that's to be repaid?” She asked warily.

“That's why there's no sense to be killin' ye, yet,” he smirked as she gasped.

Elizabeth got up and bolted from the room, slamming open the doors. She stumbled to a stop, eyes wide, as she stared at the pirates in horror.

“Ye see, the moonlight shows us for what we really are.”

She turned back to the Captain as he walked into the moonlight, turning into a skeleton as well.

“We are not among the livin', and so we cannot die. But neither are we dead. I've suffered too long! You'd best start believin' in ghost stories, Miss Turner. For, you see, tonight - you're in one!” He laughed and opened a bottle, tossing the cork to the floor. He took a long swig, the drink pouring down between his bones.

Elizabeth stared, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. It wasn’t possible. It wasn’t…was it? There was no hope of rescue, no one knew she was gone, unless Will had survived and could warn her Father? Even if he did, only the Interceptor had a chance of catching up. What could British soldiers do against such horrors? She didn’t struggle as she was led back to the Captains’ cabin, there was no point while at sea. He didn’t seem interested in harming her or anything else, except her blood which would not work. She needed a plan before they reached their destination.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora leant against the railing, staring out at the dark ocean, unable to help the thoughts of home. The World was darker…but the sea was the sea and he had grown up with it. The whole pirate thing was a bit exciting, but he also knew how dangerous they could be. The last raid on their island had been when he was six, although their pirates were very different to these. Theirs had far more modern ships until all of the Islands had pooled their resources and manpower to go after them.

His Dad had died in that fight, the Mayor had given them a medal and everything, they would have preferred to have his Dad. He wasn’t sure if the clearer and even newly refreshed memories made things better or worse.

Cursed treasure was definitely new, going to rescue the girl wasn’t. He hoped they got there in time to save her. Their timing was a bit off lately.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy watched Sora stand at the rail, not worried about him since he was an Island child. He knew Sora was worried about a lot of things at the moment, and he was worried about the teen, he knew Donald was too. They didn’t remember the ‘Replica’ of Riku that Sora and Axel had saved, although Sora had mentioned him. What would it do to Sora’s mental state to have him around once he woke? Maybe a simple rescue mission was just the thing he needed to help clear his head?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora collapsed on the bunk bed, tired, wishing he could sleep. Fighting the cursed pirates had been more tiring then Ansem in some ways. He and Donald had been throwing around a lot of powerful magic to take out the pirates or at least weaken them enough for actual weapons to do any damage. He pulled out a blood pack and downed it quickly while he had privacy.

The door opened and Will walked in, thankfully after he had disposed of the empty packet. The young Blacksmith smiled tiredly at him before sitting on the bunk opposite him. “I wished to thank you again, without your help we would not have escaped.”

“It was no problem,” Sora grinned at him but then sobered. “Are you okay?”

“I…” Will ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “The Pirates took Elizabeth…because she used my name.”

“Why would your name matter?” he asked.

Will revealed the medallion on its chain. “This was mine, sent to me by my Father. I thought it was lost the day the ship I was on sank and the Governor’s ship pulled me from the water. Elizabeth admitted she took it…because she thought it meant I was a pirate,” he explained softly.

“So your Father was a pirate?”

“He must have been…I was told he was a merchant sailor.”

“You were just a kid right? Maybe he was just trying to protect you.”

“Perhaps,” he slipped the medallion into his vest.

“Get some sleep Will, you need it.”

“As do you.”

He wished he could, but he lay down to rest, closing his eyes to let his mind and body go still.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Barbossa looked towards the Navy ship they were chasing. The boy…there was something strange about him. He was not cursed like them, no, but there was a darkness about him all the same. Perhaps he would join them if given a chance? No…that one did not seek treasure.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Elizabeth leant over the rail, watching the way they had come because their escape had been too easy. She squinted as she saw a black speck in the distance. “Will, look!” she yelled, pointing.

Will, Sora, and Goofy rushed over to see what she was pointing at. As it moved closer, it became obvious that not only was it another ship but it was the Black Pearl.

“What now?” Donald yelled from the wheel.

“I wonder what Jack would do?” Sora asked, and Elizabeth felt sick at the idea of the pirates getting their hands on the boy. He was older than Will had been as cabin boy on board the ship Barbossa had sunk a decade ago, but he was still a boy, no matter how well he could fight.

“I'm not sure. I suppose...he'd run for it,” Will shrugged slightly.

A cannon was shot at them and they all ducked.

“Sounds good to me,” Sora yelled. “Get us out of here Donald!”

The Interceptor was hit by the cannon and everyone lost their balance. Will fell backwards over the edge of the ship. He grabbed hold of a small ledge, but lost his grip and fell into the water.

Elizabeth ran to the edge of the ship, desperately searching the sea for any sign of him. “Will!”

“Everyone hit the deck!” Goofy yelled.

Elizabeth felt wiry arms wrap around her, pulling her down, a smaller body covering hers as a cannon ball hit the ship. She felt him move off her and looked to see him grabbing the medallion, shoving it into his jacket for safety.

“We're just gonna have to fight!” he yelled, scrambling up.

“Got it!” Donald called back and they began to change course, moving to run alongside the Black Pearl.

“Get below deck!” Sora yelled at her and she hesitated but then nodded, and moved to the Captain’s cabin, pulling a sword free. If any pirate entered at least she had a way to defend herself.

All she could do was wait as she heard the sounds of vicious fighting, cannons still blasting the ship but then she heard the sound of the Interceptors canons firing back now and then. After what felt like an eternity, it fell silent.

“Hooray!” a voice cheered and she relaxed, that was Donald.

“We beat the pirates!” Sora cheered and she smiled, returning the sword. Her hand was on the door handle when the hated voice spoke up.

“Well, did you now, laddie?”

The door burst open and Elizabeth was grabbed even as she struggled, pulled up on deck to see Jack tied up, Sora and the others surrounded.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Jack!” Sora called, relieved the pirate was alive, he had helped them after all, but since he was rather tied up, he wasn’t going to be any help even as more cursed pirates clambered on board.

“Now then, I'll be having back that medallion. Unless it's more important than their lives?” he smirked at Sora, who held his Keyblade, taking in the odds.

“Barbossa!” they all turned to see Will hanging on to the ropes, dripping wet, as he aimed a pistol at the pirate captain. “She goes free!”

“Go ahead boy, shoot! We can't die.”

“You can't... But I can!” Will pointed the gun at his own head, and Sora’s eyes went wide. He could survive that but Will couldn’t! “My name is Will Turner! My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner! His blood runs in my veins!”

That caused mutters of surprise and even Barbossa looked shocked.

“On my word, do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker,” Will threatened but there was no way Sora was letting him die.

“Name your terms...Mr. Turner,” Barbossa ground out.

“Release Elizabeth...and Sora, and Donald, and Goofy, too!”

“Anythin' else?” The captain asked tiredly.

“Leave now!”

Jack sighed, shaking his head, and Sora figured he realised something was fishy.

Barbossa bowed. “Agreed. Leave we shall...but the Heartless stay!” he announced.

Sora lunged as Pete swung, knocking the oar he had aimed at Will aside, sending them both overboard.

“Sora!” he heard Will cry as they hit the water hard.

He didn’t need to breath, Pete did, Maleficent’s lackey struggling against the water. He rolled his eyes but opened a Dark Corridor around him, sending him away. He turned towards the two ships, swimming far quicker than he could as a human but then hesitated. Barbossa needed to be stopped and from what he could hear, they had Will. The others were on the Interceptor with the Heartless. In the end, he grabbed onto a rope from the Interceptor, Barbossa needed Will alive for now after all.

He began climbing as the Black Pearl altered course back to the cursed Island. He could hear, and now smell, gunpowder and smoke, not a good combination on a wooden ship, or anywhere really. He kicked off the side of the ship, launching himself up, wings spreading out to keep him airborne and then he dropped down on the Heartless, even as Blizzard spells took care of the burning barrels.

Sora forced the door to the hold open and grinned at the shocked and relieved looks.

“Sora!” Donald and Goofy called happily, they had known the fall and swim wouldn’t kill him, the others hadn’t.

“Come on, we need to catch up to the Pearl before they have the time to kill Will on the island,” he told them as he untied them all, shocked when Elizabeth hugged him.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“I’m fine, takes more than a swim to hurt me,” he grinned at her.

Jack was soon at the helm, coaxing as much speed as possible from the ship.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora smirked when Barbossa called for Pete and he didn’t appear. “Sorry, he didn’t like the swim as much as I did,” he taunted. Let the pirate think he was dead, it didn’t really matter.

“Well, there’s more to you boy then first appears.”

“You have no idea,” he snarled, Keyblade ready.

Seeing Jack survive being stabbed hadn’t shocked him, he’d detected the shift in his scent. He’d kept quiet because it had been a smart move, since Jack didn’t know of Sora’s immortality. As Elizabeth helped the woozy Will away and back to the ship, the four of them fanned out, surrounding Barbossa.

As they began fighting, Donald hung back, casting his most powerful offensive spells whenever he got an opening. Barbossa was fast though, dodging most of them. Sora and Jack engaged Barbossa, both ignoring their wounds even as Goofy bashed Barbossa with his shield when he got the chance.

“SORA!” Jack yelled in alarm as Sora was sent flying back, slamming hard into the rock.

He rolled back to his feet and launched himself at Barbossa, taking him by surprise, slamming him into the rocks. He poured Thunder into the pirate as he locked his hands around the skeletal neck. Barbossa screamed, body jolting. Suddenly, bone became flesh and blood, Barbossa’s scent changing to human, and Sora stopped the spell.

“I fe…el…cold…” his eyes closed and Sora heard his heart stop.

He got up, stumbling away, feeling Goofy grab him around the waist. A look at the chest revealed Elizabeth with a bloody rag wrapped around Will’s medallion. Sora glanced back at the body but Goofy turned him away.

“Don’t look.”

They left the caves, finding a more awake Will waiting for them by the Interceptor, the black Pearl nearby.

“Elizabeth!” he called in relief and they hugged, Sora watching them.

They would get their own reunion like that, they would.

“What now, Jack?” Will asked the pirate who smirked, looking over at the black ship.

“Whatever I want, now that the Pearl is mine again.”

“That she is. Thank you, Jack.” Will held out a hand to shake Jack's, but Jack flinched with his arms over his head.

“I didn't want ye hittin' me again, mate,” he whined, and they all laughed.

“Hey, Jack, good luck,” Sora offered.

“And remember to be good!” Donald warned sternly, arms crossed.

“I'm off.” He backed away and but then bowed to them all theatrically. Jack took out his compass and it glowed brightly as he opened it. It floated into the air, and Sora opened another gateway with his Keyblade.

The gateways made Gummi ship travel a pain nowadays, Corridors were easier but too dangerous for Donald and Goofy without coats. They slipped away from the others and Sora teleported them back to Port Royal where they’d left the ship. They were soon aboard and leaving the World behind.

“Wonder where the new Gateway leads?” Goofy asked.

“Another new World?” Donald asked.

“Or one we know,” Sora shrugged and then grimaced. “Or….we could be summoned somewhere else,” he told them, taking his hands off the controls.

“Where are we goin’?” Goofy leant forward as the ship settled on a new heading, picking up speed, Sora readying the weapons in case the Heartless swarmed them.

“Coordinates are already in the computer,” Sora answered, bringing them up. “Near Twilight Town, it’s…oh.”

“Sora?” Donald demanded in concern.

“It’s listed as the Mysterious Tower. Isn’t that?” he asked nervously.

“Master Yen Sid,” Goofy agreed. “Can ya break course?”

“No.” Sora was terrified, the one place and person Merlin had insisted he avoid…and they were heading right there.

“Go Sora, use a Corridor.”

“But…”

“Donald’s right, go Sora.”

He looked between them, he hated turning tail and running. Finally he sighed and stood, Donald taking his place at the controls. He put on the coat and opened a Corridor. “I’ll see you at Merlin’s?” he asked nervously.

“We’ll be there soon,” the promised.

He stepped through, making his way quickly through the Realm of Darkness, opening a new Corridor back to Hollow Bastion.

He walked to Merlin’s, taking out the few Heartless he came across on the way. He didn’t bother knocking, Merlin had said the place was their home now too and that they didn’t need to.

“Sora!” Yuffie called happily, darting in to hug him. “You’re back quick, and…alone?”

“The others are on the way to Master Yen Sid’s, they told me to bail out.”

Her eyes went wide. “I’ll get Merlin.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yen Sid frowned when Goofy and Donald entered his study alone. Where had young Sora gone?

_TBC…_


	26. ch26

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 26**

Sora collapsed on the very comfortable couch in what to the casual eye appeared to be the only room within Merlin’s home. The staircase was somehow practically invisible unless you knew it was there, and from the outside the house did not appear to have more than one level when Sora had no idea how many there actually were.

He was worried, Yen Sid would be even more curious after he’d vanished from the ship mid-journey. He wouldn’t hurt Donald and Goofy but still, Sora couldn’t help being worried for them too.

He still had to stifle a laugh when Merlin appeared in an explosion of smoke, coughing and waving a hand before his face.

“Ah, Sora! Welcome home.” He smiled as the smoke faded, Sora assumed he’d been experimenting again. “Now then, Yuffie said something about Yen Sid?”

“Yeah, he summoned the ship and they got me to leave,” he answered.

“Hmm…seems I need to have a word with my meddlesome old student,” Merlin muttered before brightening. “But in happier news, guess who’s awake?”

“Really?” Sora straightened up. “Where is he? Is he okay?”

“Come along then,” Merlin smiled and the vanished, reappearing in the forest that was somehow inside the home.

Sora spotted the familiar hair in the distance and cautiously walked over, not sure what kind of greeting he was in for. He noticed that the weird dark clothes were gone, replaced with simple trousers and shirt in dark purple and white, and as he got closer Sora saw that his feet were bare. “Hi,” he called softly, not wanting to startle him.

Riku’s head shot around, wide eyes staring at him. “Sora?”

He grinned slightly and sat down on the same log but hopefully without crowding him. “Hey, how do you feel?”

“Why do you care?”

“Because you’re my friend,” Sora told him and Riku snorted, looking away.

“Because I’m a fake copy of him,” he sneered, and Sora grabbed his shoulder, making him turn around, cyan eyes going wide.

“No, because you are my friend too. You helped us, you protected Naminé. We didn’t want you to leave at all and then when I saw you in that hallways…I thought we were too late,” he admitted, his grip gentle now. So what if you’re a Replica, you have your own thoughts and heart now. You aren’t Riku and he isn’t you.”

The younger male stared at him in shock and Sora stayed quiet to let him think. “I…”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He stared at Sora, not sure what to say. Everything was so confusing. He’d met the girl, Kairi, and there was nothing. Everyone had said she had grown up with Sora and Riku but he didn’t remember her. How many of his memories were real and how many were fake? Did it even matter? He’d been staying away from them all, knowing they wouldn’t want him there, not sure why they’d even bothered to save him. Then Sora had shown up…called him his friend…after everything he’d done, all the fights at the Castle…

He'd run, too scared to see the real Riku again, he’d abandoned them when there could have been more threats. He just didn’t understand any of them. He’d tried to survive on his own, to go after his creators, but he’d failed. If Sora hadn’t found him…

“I’m nobody, nothing.”

“Well who do you want to be?” Sora asked, and he blinked.

“What?”

“Pick a name, Kairi can style your hair differently, colour it if you want. You can be whoever you want to.”

He could be someone? He reached up to touch shaggy hair, the idea of look different to him was good. His memories of Sora said he would do it for nothing but…the memories weren’t his and had apparently been altered. “What do you want in return?”

“Nothing,” Sora shook his head. “You didn’t ask for them to create you, to have your memories messed with, any of it. I just want you to have a life of your own, to be safe and happy.”

He stared at the older boy, searching for any deceit but there was nothing he could detect. “Okay,” he agreed, surprised when Sora offered his hand. He reached out hesitantly and took it, only to be further shocked when he was given a brief hug. “We can talk to the Fairy Godmother about a new style for your clothing and then Kairi can work on your hair.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Donald fought the urge to cower from the irritated Wizard. It was hard to imagine him as Merlin’s pupil, ever, they were so different. Still, they did not answer to Master Yen Sid, even if he had been their King’s Master once. Their loyalty was to their King…and Sora. Yen Sid could be a threat to Sora and so they would not give him anything, they had accepted his ‘mission’ to find Sora back then, but with no plans to return to the Tower with him.

“Where is Sora?”

“Had to help a friend,” Goofy offered.

“Indeed, so you definitely found him then. Why did you not return here?”

“Well, technically, Sora found us. And then…we lost Riku. He got taken by the Organisation, he was protecting Kairi who was the real target.”

Yen Sid’s expression didn’t really change but they could practically feel his irritation. Sora so owed them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi carefully ran her fingers through the younger Riku’s hair, feeling him tense. “So, am I just neatening this up, or cutting it short?”

“Short,” he offered after considering it for a few minutes. “Sora said the colour can be changed too?”

“There are ways to dye hair or I think there are spells that might make a more permanent change. We could try the normal way first, find a colour you like, and then see who can make it permanent,” she explained.

Kairi began cutting slowly, not wanting to startle him with sudden movements. “I’ll cut it a bit and then stop, you can check each time and tell me when it’s short enough. Sound good?”

“Yes,” he answered.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé entered the room and froze as she took in the figure lying still on the ‘bed’. Expecting it and seeing it were two rather different things. She approached carefully, taking in the features she had seen in Sora and Riku’s memories. She gently laid her hands against his temples, carefully reaching out with her powers. His mind…was a mess. His memories were there but so were others that were not his. Despite that, she could not feel the presence of Ansem like she had before which was good, the strength of the Darkness within him probably wasn’t.

She needed him to wake up, Nobodies were stronger than humans true but he was a lot taller than her and very solidly built, too heavy for her to move. She shook his shoulder but there was no reaction. Naminé tensed as she heard footsteps approaching, there was no other choice then, she moved up onto the bed with him and opened a Dark Corridor, falling through it with him.

Now she just had to get them to safety before the Organisation could find them within the Realm of Darkness. And hope that if Riku woke up before hand, he was capable of listening and working with her.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He stared at his reflection in the mirror, shocked by how different he looked. His hair was short, very short, spiking a bit on top. Kairi had put a dye in it that had changed the colour too, darkening it. It was lighter than Sora’s but darker then Riku’s, and with it so short he looked very different.

The new clothing was strange but comfortable, a little similar to Sora’s in style but in lighter colours. He could feel the magic in the cloth and it felt…comforting. He liked the woman who had given the clothing to him, he didn’t think she was someone you could dislike. She was kind and cheerful but it wasn’t overbearing or anything.

“Lookin’ good,” Sora called, and he looked up to find the other grinning at him.

“Thanks.”

“Picked a name yet?” Sora asked as he perched on the edge of the nearby table.

“How do I even do that?” He asked, no matter how different they made him look it meant nothing without a new name.

“Well, are there any you like? Or maybe a specific meaning you want it to have?”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel looked up as Sora and the Replica walked in, blinking at the massive change in his appearance. He couldn’t look any more different!

“Everyone, this is Daichi,” Sora introduced.

Kairi got up and walked over, smiling at the newly named Daichi before giving him a brief hug. “It’s nice to meet you Daichi.”

The Rep…Daichi gave a small smile. “Thank you.”

He glanced around at the group and Axel met his gaze, nodding at him. “Nice ta meet you Daichi. Name’s Axe, got it memorised?”

“I know you,” the boy answered warily, and Axel nodded.

“Castle Oblivion,” he agreed, seeing him tense, but then Sora clasped Daichi’s shoulder gently.

“It’s okay, he’s on our side now.”

And wasn’t that weird to hear. He had betrayed everything he had worked and fought for since becoming a Nobody, since he was human even with Saïx still with the Organisation. Why? Because of a friend he didn’t even remember…and Sora. He had to be crazy.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Daichi looked at the room he’d been given, picking up the small bag he’d packed. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was meant to pack but then again, he didn’t really have much in the first place. Aerith, Kairi, and Yuffie had dragged him off to the market the other day to begin fixing that and he wondered if he got the hate of shopping from Riku or if it was just him.

The idea of going to another World with Sora and Kairi was strange but kind of exciting. He had no memories of Kairi so it didn’t feel as weird with her as it did Sora. He’d figured that a lot of the memories that he had of Sora had been altered which was part of what made it weird.

He left the room and headed downstairs to find the other two waiting for him, dressed in their protective clothing like he was.

Sora looked up and grinned at him. “Ready?”

“Ready,” he agreed.

“Hey, it’ll be okay,” Kairi touched his arm briefly. “This is going to be a fun trip.”

“Yep, no fighting,” Sora agreed. “We’re going to Atlantica. It’s an underwater world so it involves the world order spell. Ever used it?”

Daichi shook his head, he’d never even heard of it.

“Basically, to preserve the world order and keep us from sticking out, it will change our appearance to fit in. When I’ve gone, it’s turned me into a merman with a dolphin tail, Goofy into a turtle and Donald into a kind of half octopus - half duck.”

“Sounds…interesting.”

“Yeah, the King there knows about the Keyblade and other Worlds but we won’t be going to the Palace. This is a vacation of sorts.”

“Okay,” Daichi agreed.

They left Merlin’s house and headed for the ship, Daichi looking around curiously as they did. He’d only left for that one shopping trip and it was interesting to see the town, there was a lot of work going on, rebuilding. He wondered how much would change while they were gone.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé dragged Riku along as best as she could, he was as heavy as she had thought but she refused to leave him behind. After everything she had gone through to find him she would not abandon him. She gasped and spun at the sound of footsteps, looking around, praying it was Sora or the King…or someone on their side. She wasn’t expecting who she saw and moved between them and Riku’s changed body.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Merlin went over the notes he had made of Ri…young Daichi while he was sleeping. The work that went into creating the ‘Replicas’ was incredible, but he was not a scientist. He could not recreate one, but with the information he may be able to create a false body magically that would work similarly in order to support a heart.

He glanced over at the door, sensing someone unknown approaching. He stood and moved to the door, opening it to find a young man looking for the doorbell. “Hello, how may I help you?”

“Are you Merlin?”

“Indeed I am.”

“My name is Ienzo, Sir.”

“From the Castle!” Merlin was surprised, no one from the Castle had been seen.

“Zexion?” Axel called, stepping into view.

The visible aqua eye went wide, the young man backing away. “Axel…”

“How? You died…”

Merlin moved away to let the two speak.

“I…” he was looking around wildly, obviously scared.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Whoa! Easy Zexion, I’m not going to hurt you,” Axel swore, holding his hands up and taking a step back. He had liked Zexion, hadn’t liked the idea of having to kill him but he’d been part of Vexen’s team and not under suspicion. “I’m out, I left the Organisation.”

“You?” and yeah, Axel didn’t blame him for sounding like he didn’t believe him.

“Me. It’s why I’m here, part of the gang now,” he motioned around Merlin’s home.

“I am not Zexion,” Zexion finally said, and Axel blinked.

“I am Ienzo, I am human again.”

Axel stared at him in shock. Okay, gaining a new heart, he could kind of see that happening, it explained a lot about the last few years, but becoming human again? “How?”

“When both the Nobody and Heartless are killed, the human they came from his re-completed. Several of us who died in Castle Oblivion have returned,” he admitted cautiously.

“So if I die, I could become human?”

“If your Heartless had been destroyed as well, yes.”

“Huh,” he stared at Ze…Ienzo. Did it really matter when he had a new heart? “You came to see Merlin?”

“Right, yes,” Ienzo nodded.

“Well, do come in young Ienzo. You are a scientist yes?” Merlin asked, and Ienzo nodded, looking a bit overwhelmed by Merlin.

“Yes,” he agreed.

Axel realised why Merlin was asking and nodded. “He’s one of the best, and he did some work on the Replica program, although Vexen was the main one on the program.”

“The Replicas?” Ienzo glanced between them.

“Turns out Sora has another heart in him, they want to get it out and need a body for it,” Axel told him, seeing his eyes widen.

“I see. Without access to any of his notes on the program it will not be easy.”

“Would this help?” Merlin held up a pile of papers. “Magical scans of a working Replica body.”

“You have one?” he asked, sounding a little excited.

“Remember the Replica of Riku? Sora and I found him in Castle Oblivion, injured. Merlin did an exam while he was unconscious. He’s with Sora and Kairi on a vacation.” He felt like laughing at the look on Ienzo’s face at that.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora grinned as they hit the water, doing a flip out of excitement. He turned to see Kairi and Daichi land in the water, the spell kicking in, changing them. Kairi squeaked as she was suddenly only wearing a bikini top made out of shells, like Ariel. It was a really good look on her, the shells a pearlescent white that went very nicely with the purplish blue of the scales on her tail. He looked over at Daichi to find he was as naked as Sora himself was, his lower half though resembled some kind of sting ray maybe? And they were both floundering so he quickly swam to help them learn how to swim, although he wasn’t entirely sure on the movements Daichi needed since he was so different to any mer he’d seen.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent stared at the body on the bed, it looked nothing like the boy and yet the girl she had found him with swore it was Riku. For now, the girl was in a guest room as she had been helping him escape, perhaps she would speak with Sora about her when he next came to train. His skills were coming along nicely between Merlin and herself. Perhaps, he would be able to help Riku find some kind of balance that would keep him from being possessed again, at least until he was beyond that being possible. That, however, could take years at the rate the magic was changing him before. As much as she would rather not, she may have to actually speak with Merlin to reverse what had happened to him now, so long as it truly was Riku.

She left the room, sealing it to ensure he could not leave if he woke while she was gone.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi laughed as they swam through the incredible ocean. Did the one back home look the same beyond the depths they could usually reach? Well, Sora could now reach them since he didn’t need to breathe right? So next trip back, she would talk him into taking a look.

Daichi was still hesitant but gaining confidence as they chases each other through the coral. She was glad he’d decided to change his hair and clothes, it made it easier when he didn’t look exactly like Riku. Maybe something could be done to alter his facial features a little too, make them look more like brothers than twins. Although what she’d seen of Riku, he’d grown up when asleep while Daichi didn’t look any different, he hadn’t even had the growth spurt. Did Replica bodies age or grow? Or would he be stuck like Sora was?

She hoped Riku and Daichi could accept each other, although Riku wouldn’t remember meeting him before so hopefully they could have a fresh start. Still, it would be good if they could be brothers, they both needed that kind of support, even if they didn’t realise it.

Kairi shrieked and then laughed as Sora grabbed her from below, pulling her into a kiss and she was very happy to find out that they could kiss for a long time under water.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He watched Sora kiss Kairi and shook his head as his thoughts wandered to Naminé. It wasn’t possible, she was part of Kairi, a Nobody…she’d be expected to join with Kairi again. His memories of liking her like that weren’t real…but they felt real to him. He turned his back after a minute to give them privacy, just enjoying the calm peace of the ocean. Maybe…he could live in the ocean when everything was over. It wasn’t like they’d want him around permanently, especially Riku when they rescued him. Living here could be nice.

_TBC…_


	27. ch27

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 27**

Kairi was relieved to see Daichi appeared much more relaxed after their trip to Atlantica, it had done him a lot of good. Sora too actually, he’d needed the break from training and searching. In some ways, he was very different to Riku, and she guessed that was because the memories he had were altered plus the whole knowing about that and that he had been ‘made’. All of that had to have affected him deeply.

She glanced over at where Sora, Axel, and Merlin were talking quietly, looking very serious.

“They’re talking about someone called Zexion, I think he was at Castle Oblivion,” Daichi told her, and she looked at him in surprise. He shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. “I was made to be better than the original.”

“So your senses are better?”

He nodded. “And I’m physically stronger and tougher. Not sure about anything else.”

“Well, you don’t bleed, there was no blood when they brought you in. Want to go find out why they’re talking about a dead person?”

“Because he’s back,” Sora answered, and she jumped, not having heard him approach. He laughed and caught her around the waist, kissing her neck.

“Wait…what?” she asked in confusion.

“Apparently if both Heartless and Nobody are killed, the person comes back as the human they were. So Zexion and Lexaeus are back so far, some of the others might be too. Zexion’s name is actually Ienzo, and he was a scientist at the Castle here.”

“But he’s definitely human now?” Daichi asked warily, and Sora nodded.

“Merlin and Axel believe he is. He came here while we were gone and is going to work with Merlin to make Ventus a body.”

“Who’s Ventus?”

So they began explaining how Sora had a second heart inside his own.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora lay down on the bed, Ienzo leaning over him. The Committee was working to clear the way to a back entrance Ienzo remembered to Ansem’s study and from there the labs which had proper equipment but for now he had managed to scrounge some things to take some beginning readings.

Of course he then promptly froze as the monitor attached showed a flat line, looking from Sora back to the monitor. “It appears we have an equipment error,” he admitted, and Sora hesitated, he didn’t want anyone else knowing, especially before he could finally tell Riku, but…

“There’s no error.”

“Sora, this should be showing your physical heartbeat.”

“Yeah, I haven’t had one since my one and only trip to Halloween Town. I uh…ever heard of vampires?”

The look on the scientists face was kind of amusing.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent opened the door to find Riku was still asleep or unconscious and that was concerning. She moved to the bed and pressed a hand to his forehead, she could find no spell upon him and no injuries to explain why he had not woken. It was concerning and should it last much longer… she would either have to seek out aid or risk his death.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xemnas stared at the empty room, how was it possible? Ansem should not have been able to leave without his detecting it. Had someone taken him? But who would do that, even should Sora or any of his companions make it so far they would have no reason to take Ansem, unless they thought they could de-possess Riku? A pity, but so long as he didn’t kill Sora, then he was useful enough to them out there causing chaos.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé stared out the window towards the town of Hollow Bastion, wondering if Sora and Kairi were there. She was worried; Riku was still unconscious and now they were in the hands of Maleficent. What would she do to them? She knew that Riku had been with the Dark Faerie before he’d been possessed but…she’d also caught a glimpse or two of Sora with her lately and they hadn’t been fighting. It was all so confusing.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Dai called his Soul Eater to hand and stood opposite Sora who grinned at him.

“Ready?” the older boy asked, and Daichi nodded.

He’d finally agreed to spar with Sora, if he wanted to travel then he had to be fighting fit, to be sure of his abilities. That meant practicing against different opponents. Sora was the only one with a Keyblade and while Soul Eater wasn’t one, it was closer to it than the others weapons.

Sora lunged at him and Dai dodged, bringing his blade up, Sora blocking easily. They began trading testing blows, Sora slowly speeding up as they did. It was….fun. Sora would not purposely harm him which made it unlike any fight he’d been in since his creation although…looking back, he didn’t think Sora had been seriously trying to hurt him back then either, he’d been fighting to disarm and restrain him, not kill.

It felt like they fought for forever and eventually Sora had him on his back, Keyblade at his throat. “Yield,” he forced himself to say, unable to help tensing, but then Sora grinned and the Keyblade vanished. Sora leant over and offered him a hand, Daichi accepting it and the help up.

“That was really good,” Sora praised.

“Thanks,” he found himself grinning back.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He slowly opened his eyes, blinking up at…a ceiling? He could barely think, struggling to remember anything. Who…who was he? Where? Something….something was familiar?

“Riku, can you hear me?” a voice called and he sluggishly managed to turn his head.

There was…a woman, tall, holding a staff…he knew her, he did. “Ma…”

She moved closer and he tried to move but something felt wrong. A hand rested on his forehead and he let his eyes close at the soft touch. “Rest child, you are safe now.”

Safe? There was something….everything faded away before he could try and work it out.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent watch him succumb to sleep before leaving the room. He had recognised her, despite his obvious disorientation, that was good. He needed time to heal and recover himself but she did not know if they had that time. The Organisation had done this to him and they would pay for it.

She was hesitant to inform Sora, now that Riku had woken. Riku was her child, no matter what biology may say. The forced change to his body and exposure to even more Darkness was accelerating things, he would no longer be human much sooner than originally expected. She wanted to keep him safe until it was done and he would be far harder to harm. But should he recover mentally enough, he would insist on fighting, especially with Sora involved.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi kissed Sora, running her hands up and down his back, careful of his wings, happy they’d gotten the hang of kissing around his fangs. She really liked kissing and was hoping for the chance to kiss Riku too soon. Sora was leaning over her, the covers between them as they always were at night. She knew he didn’t stay all night, that he went out to clear rubble, train, any number of things. Tonight, she wanted him to stay, she wanted more than just a few minutes of kissing. Sora was leaving in the morning for another World and she didn’t know when he’d be back.

“Kairi?” he asked breathlessly as they parted enough for her to breath.

“Stay,” she whispered. She kissed him again, hands moving up to the base of his wings and he groaned.

“K…airi,” he whined as her hands moved over the sensitive membranes.

“Please Sora, stay.”

“Sure?” he forced out more steadily even as he bit his lip to try and keep quiet. It was amazing how sensitive his wings could be, the affect touching them had on him, how did he take any hits to his back in a fight and not collapse?

She nodded before initiating another kiss, feeling him settle his weight more firmly over her. They kissed for what felt like forever before she began shoving the covers down and Sora pulled back, obviously not sure what she was doing. She tugged him back down, feeling him pressed against her own body without blankets in the way and it felt good, ignoring the coldness of his body. She pushed at his shirt and his eyes went wide.

“Kairi…it’s…” he stammered and if he could still blush she knew he would be, her own face felt a little warm.

“I just want to see,” she promised, and he hesitated, staring at her, but eventually he pulled his shirt off, the magic in the cloth keeping it from getting tangled around his wings. She lifted a hand to his now bare chest and he shuddered as she touched the pale skin. “Okay?” she asked, and he nodded, holding himself still to let her explore.

She’d seen plenty of guys without their shirts on, even touched the bare skin in passing during various games, they did live on a series of Islands after all, but this was different. His skin was smooth and firm over muscles developed from years running wild on the Play Island and then fighting Heartless. The more she touched, the warmer his skin felt, her own warmth raising his body temperature a bit. He stopped her when she reached for her own top to let him see and touch too, shaking his head.

“I…I don’t know,” he looked away, taking a deep, unneeded, breath. “I don’t know if I could stop there,” he admitted. “Not yet,” he pleaded.

“Okay.” She was disappointed but she wouldn’t rush him.

She wasn’t sure if he was worried about hurting her or going further then they were ready to yet. She shifted and he rolled off her, letting her roll to her side so they were lying together. She cuddled in close and kissed him again before pulling the covers over them both. Sora wrapped his arms around her, stroking her back, and she soon felt sleep calling her.

“I’ll stay,” he whispered. “Go to sleep.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora watched Kairi sleep, enjoying the warmth of her body pressed to his own, hoping the covers would keep her warm enough. The idea of seeing her without anything on her top, of being allowed to touch, was exciting…too exciting. He’d had to stop her because the urge to touch with more than a hand had been growing and the last thing he wanted was to scare or hurt her by biting. He would not feed from her!

As embarrassing as it would be…he needed to get those books out again and maybe…even talk to Merlin. He was in love with two people and as shown earlier, sooner or later, they would want to go further then kissing and the amount of touching he and Kairi did. He knew it was possible for vampires and humans to…to have sex without the human being hurt but before they got anywhere near to trying that, he wanted to be sure he wouldn’t hurt either of them.

As much as he wanted to focus on that, finding Riku and defeating the Organisation had to be the main focus. Axel could get them in, but they had to be ready to fight every surviving member of the Organisation. Ienzo and Aeleus had also given them information, although with both human again, they would not be going in too. Ienzo was a scientist and while Aeleus was a guard he no longer had the powers he’d had as a Nobody. They might be able to learn magic and stuff but there wasn’t enough time.

He was worried enough about Kairi joining them, not this trip, but the next one. Merlin, Axel, and Yuffie agreed she’d be ready then. He wanted her with him but at the same time he wanted her somewhere she’d be safe. If he left her behind again thought she might just find a way to kill him.

Sora smiled when she shifted even closer in her sleep, face buried in his still bare chest. He kissed the top of her head, listening to the calming rhythm of her heartbeat and let himself drift.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Jasmine was surprised to see Sora, Donald, and Goofy in Agrabah. She hadn’t thought she’d see them again once everything had been fixed. Hearing about the Organisation that was making trouble was not good or that they had kidnapped Sora’s friend…the same friend that had kidnapped her. She was no longer a Princess of heart, she had passed that on before ever leaving Hollow Bastion, she thought all the others had too, except perhaps Kairi. She could still sense the Darkness buried deep in Sora but it didn’t feel as wrong to her as it had before. She just hoped they could find Aladdin and work out what was going on.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku…he was Riku, not Ansem. A shaky hand was lifted, fingers moving…his hand? It didn’t look, did it? What was happening to him? He slowly pushed himself up, looking around, he knew the room, it was…his room at the castle. Maleficent’s castle. But…he’d been somewhere else, hadn’t he? Why was is so hard to think, to remember? Why did he feel so weak?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You! You've messed with me for the last time! I'm gonna get you yet!” Pete yelled before thankfully leaving.

Genie hugged Aladdin, yanking him off his feet. “Yeah! All right!” He put Aladdin down and gave him a thumbs up which Aladdin returned.

Carpet flew in with Abu on him, Iago following with the lamp. Aladdin took the lamp and the group made their way into the Palace and then down into the deepest dungeon. Inside, they placed the lamp in a stone coffin and closed it before going back to where Jasmine was waiting outside the Palace. 

“I promise, you won't regret givin' me another chance. Honest!” Iago told them all.

“Uhhhh... Princess Jasmine, you sure that you want that pigeon in the coop?” Genie eyed the parrot warily.

Jasmine smiled, “Oh, I think Iago's shown that he means well.”

“Aw, sure. You're probably right.”

“And how much trouble can one noisy bird cause?” Sora grinned.

“You might just have a point there, kid,” Genie laughed.

“What happens next, Sora?” She asked, and he sobered.

“Well, it was great seeing you all...but we still need to find Riku and stop the Organisation so I guess we'll be moving on.”

“I hope you find him soon,” Genie offered, and Sora nodded.

“Me, too.”

“Hey, where's Aladdin?” Donald looked around, when had he even left?

“He ran off toward town, looking for Abu. But he should be back by now,” Jasmine frowned in concern.

“Al can't miss Sora's big farewell party! I'll have him back in a jiffy!” Genie spun around and disappeared in a tornado of magic.

“Abu!” they heard Aladdin yelling and then Abu ran in with a large red jewel. “Catch him!”

Abu stopped suddenly when Sora, Donald, and Goofy all jumped for him. They crashed on top of the little monkey, who lost the jewel.

“He must've secretly stolen it from the Cave of Wonders,” Aladdin shook his head, exasperated.

“Abu!” Donald snatched the jewel away and looked at it. “Wow!” He stared, transfixed, and Goofy chuckled.

“I guess some things are just hard to resist.”

“Aw, who needs it!” He pretended to throw it and everyone looked, even as he hid it behind his back.

Abu looked at him and squawked, pointing at Donald’s back, alerting everyone else.

“Oh... I guess it got stuck!” he offered sheepishly as the jewel began to glow. “What!?” he threw it for real and Sora called his Keyblade to open the new gate.

“Sora... What is it?” Aladdin asked as the light faded.

“I think it's time for us to go,” he admitted.

“Will you be back?” Jasmine asked, surprising him, although she had been the warmest of the Princesses, probably because they’d met while he was human before the events of Hollow Bastion.

“We will, I promise!”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Daichi dropped onto the log, breathing heavily, muscles burning but he could go again if necessary. Kairi was already sprawled on the ground nearby, exhausted. Axel smirked, looking as fresh as ever. Show off. Being a Nobody, he had a lot more stamina then a human. Dai was only worn out because he had faced Axel twice, Kairi taking a turn in between before facing Daichi as well.

He knew Sora and Kairi were going after the Organisation that had created him and he was…torn. The part of him that was Riku wanted to go to, to fight at Sora’s side. Knowing the memories of Naminé had originally been of Kairi had him feeling a bit protective of her too, and the idea of her fighting them was scary. But…he didn’t want to fight, not because he was scared or anything but it was something he felt. Training and sparing were different, fun, but actually fighting? It was something he’d come to realise he didn’t like doing. But like didn’t really come into it, did it? The Organisation needed to be stopped and Riku rescued.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Sora!”

He spun and caught her, lifting her off the ground to kiss her hello before setting her back down on her feet. “We’re back,” he grinned at Kairi before kissing again. “Hey,” he smiled at her and she smiled back at him.

“I’m glad you’re back. Where did you go?”

“Agrabah, had to stop Pete this time,” he smirked, and she laughed, they’d told her all about Pete.

“So where are we going for my first mission?” she asked as they walked into the house, his arm around her waist.

“Well…the next gate opened but it’s complicated,” he admitted, and she looked at him, confused. “it’s Halloween Town,” he clarified, and she grimaced.

“Sora…you can’t go back there!”

“I completely agree,” Merlin said from where he was brewing. He wiped his hands and walked over. “Sora, you can’t go back to Halloween Town, it’s too dangerous. If your Sire were to realise you were there she would come for you. You are only a few years old, not old enough to resist her.”

“So what do we do? The gate opened for a reason,” Sora answered, flopping down on the couch, tugging her down with him.

“Well, as the team is much bigger now, others shall go and you will go elsewhere,” Merlin told him, and Sora sighed but nodded.

He didn’t like shirking on his job but what else could he do? If she got to him…

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He stumbled to his feet, everything was wrong. Too high up, things too small, his body not right. He had…he had to go…had to hide…couldn’t let anyone see him like this. He pulled on the door but it stayed shut. Riku reached for the Darkness, opening a Corridor to fall through it, despite how shaky it was.

_TBC…_


	28. ch28

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 28**

Naminé spun as the door slammed open only to stare into crimson and blue eyes. “Sora,” she whispered and then he was there, picking her up and spinning her around.

“I’ve been worried about you,” he told her as he set her down.

“I know, I’m sorry, but when I saw Riku…I had to do something.” She looked away. “I’m sorry Sora, I got him out but…”

“Maleficent told me where she found you two and that Riku’s gone again. She said he was very disorientated and his memory seemed confused?”

Naminé nodded. “The Organisation was trying to draw out Ansem and they succeeded, you felt Riku call for you, you and Kairi.”

“That’s what…” his eyes were wide in horror. “Is he?”

“He’s Riku, with your help he destroyed Ansem but it was too late, too much Darkness had been unleashed within him. Riku now has some of Ansem’s memories and that is why he’s confused. He’s only mostly sure of who he is and when he recognised Maleficent…he ran. I don’t know how he opened a Corridor though, I tried and she has enough protections here to stop it.”

“Desperation,” he offered, and she nodded, it was the best she could come up with. “If only she’d told me you guys were here!”

“Sora…I’ve seen you with her?”

“Yeah, she’s been helping me with my magic. Turns out I can’t use Light fire spells without basically draining my magic which sucks, but Dark ones work normally. Merlin knows I come here for training at night. Speaking of, there’s someone at his place who wants to see you,” he grinned.

“Kairi,” she didn’t want to meet her yet, didn’t want to join her until sure everything was finished.

“Yeah, but someone else too.” He seemed rather pleased by that, his grin…cheeky?

Who else could want to meet her? She didn’t know anyone else.

“You met him at the Castle and he really wanted to protect you,” he hinted.

Protect her… “Riku…the Replica?”

“His name is Daichi now. I went back there with Axel to look for info on the Replica program and we found him there, hurt. He’s fine, we got him healed, Kairi gave him a makeover so that he doesn’t look as much like Riku now.” he held out his hand and she took it.

“Maleficent.”

“Knows I’m taking you,” he answered, and then suddenly they were standing somewhere else.

“Naminé?” a familiar voice called her name in shock and she turned, she didn’t recognise…

“Ri…no, Daichi? That’s what Sora said your name is now,” she smiled at him, smoothing down her dress, not even noticing when Sora slipped away.

Daichi nodded, looking surprised and nervous. “You’re okay,” he whispered. “Sora and Axel didn’t know where you went.”

“There were some things I needed to do,” she told him. “I’m glad they found you in time,” she told him, and he shifted.

“You are? Even though I’m…”

“I hurt you so badly because of them, I ripped your memories apart.”

“They weren’t really mine anyway,” he pointed out, taking a step closer. “You’re alright?”

“I’m fine,” she held her hand out to him, and he slowly reached out to her. Their fingers slid together, interlacing, and her smile widened. She had done so much to him because of the Organisation and yet he didn’t seem to hold it against her. “I’m still sorry for what I did to you,” she admitted, and he squeezed her hand.

“And if you hadn’t done what they said, what would they have done to you?” he asked softly. “I’d rather you mess with me then have them hurt you or worse. I know my memories of life on the Islands with you are fake but…I’d rather have them then ones of Kairi.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora watched as Axel and Kairi squared off against each other, give them Keyblades and they would be a serious threat to the Heartless, especially Axel since he had real combat experience. They needed someone to go to Halloween Town and if he agreed, Axel seemed the best option, and even is She was there, could a Nobody even be turned? And maybe send Donald with him as magical backup. That would leave Goofy and Kairi with him for the next world while Dai and Naminé stayed.

He knew that while Dai could fight, as well as Riku even, he didn’t want to. Asking him to wasn’t right, he should have the choice. Maybe they could help with the clean-up and re-building, especially trying to get into Ansem’s study, the real Ansem. Finding out the creep who possessed Riku wasn’t the real Ansem had been a surprise but that was what Ienzo and Aeleus had promised was true. The Heartless had been Xehanort when human, he’d then split into ‘Ansem’ and Xemnas when he became a Heartless and Nobody. Xemnas was the leader of the Organisation and now they were human, they agreed that something was definitely odd about their stated goals and actions.

Once they had found the lab, Ienzo was hoping to speed up work on a Replica for Ventus, and Sora was worried that Naminé would need one too so that she could continue to live separately to Kairi. Of course, she might not want to, but from their reactions to each other he was pretty sure she would and that Daichi would fully support her in that decision.

“Sora!” Kairi called as she spotted him leaning against a tree.

He grinned and waved even as Axel rolled his eyes but stood down. Kairi grinned at the redhead before running over and throwing herself at him, trusting him to catch her. “Hey, you’re looking great,” he praised after kissing her hello.

“Really?”

“Really,” he promised. A glance showed that Axel was moving quietly away. “Axel.”

“Yeah?”

“Naminé’s with Dai if you want to say hi.”

Green eyes widened slightly. “Naminé? How’d you find her?”

“I didn’t. She…she got Riku out and Maleficent found them in the Realm of Darkness. Riku’s messed up because of the Organisation and ran off before she could tell me,” a white lie but he didn’t want to get into Maleficent’s weird maternal attitude towards Riku unless Riku wanted him to.

“You mean Riku’s out there somewhere alone, again, and what exactly does messed up mean?” Kairi demanded, hands on her hips.

“The Organisation did something to him to bring out what was left of Ansem, that’s what we felt him call out to us for. He beat him but it’s left his memory a bit messed up.”

“Again,” she winced.

“We’ll find him, no matter what it takes,” he swore. “Axel,” he called again.

“Yeah?”

“How do you feel about a trip to Halloween Town? That’s where the next gate opened but…well, I can’t go.”

“Why not?” Axel asked in confusion.

“Something bad happened last time I was there so I can’t go back. Donald would go with you as magical backup.”

Axel considered it before nodding. “I’m guessing Naminé and Dai are staying behind? Kid’s good but his heart isn’t in it.”

It was good to know he wasn’t the only one who saw that. “He’ll fight but yeah, I don’t think he wants to.”

Axel chuckled. “He’ll fight for her, guess she’s got a bodyguard,” he smirked. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t,” with that he was gone.

Kairi just shook her head. “Is there anything he wouldn’t do?” she asked and they both laughed.

“So, we’ve got a new world to explore when you’re ready,” he grinned at the surprised look on her face.

“Really?”

“Well, yeah. This is what you’ve been training for after all. You’ll keep my coat though in case we need to use a Corridor, okay?”

“You’re sure you’re okay without it?”

“You’re a Princess of Heart Kairi, let’s not risk you to Darkness. I’ve already got it in me.”

“Yeah….Maleficent?”

“She’s been a great help with my training and Merlin knows. Kairi…some light based spells don’t work very well or at all for me anymore. I’m sorry,” he offered and she kissed him gently.

“It’s not your fault Sora, you can’t change what She did to you. You didn’t chose the Darkness, there’s no gold in your eyes, you aren’t lost to it,” she assured him, stroking his cheek, and he leant into her touch. “And even if you were, I would do whatever it took to help you back. Just like we’ll help Riku when we find him if he needs it.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi ran her hands over pale skin, enjoying being able to touch him, Sora’s hands more hesitant as one slipped under her nightshirt. He had to be very careful to not hurt her with his claws or strength and she wished he didn’t have to be. Tonight was their last night of guaranteed privacy and they were making the most of it. He kissed her and they rolled until she was on her back, Sora on top of her and she felt her face warm as she felt something she hadn’t before thanks to the blankets or Sora resting himself slightly off to the side or just holding himself slightly higher off her. Sora froze, but she slid her hand up and back into his hair, holding him in place. It was natural for his body to react to what they were doing, it felt strange and new, but it wasn’t bad.

He pulled back from the kiss, looking down at her, looking nervous. “Kairi?”

She just grinned and ran her hands over his shoulders and down his back. “It’s okay, it’s natural, right?”

“Uh…yeah.” He would so be blushing if he could.

“Right,” she tugged at him, and he moved back down, always so careful with her. They kissed for a while before she wriggled out of her shirt, Sora’s eyes going wide as he got his first look at her without anything on her upper body. She fought not to go bright red under his gaze, she wasn’t even seventeen yet and she knew she wasn’t as…developed as some of the other girls back on the Islands. Away from the tropical sun she was also a bit paler but he didn’t seem to care.

He lifted his hand but then hesitated, glancing up at her, and she nodded nervously. Ever so carefully, he lowered his hand to touch her breasts for the first time without clothing between them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora sat in the pilot’s seat, glad he could fly in his sleep because he couldn’t stop thinking about the night before. He’d seen Kairi without a shirt! He’d….he’d been allowed to touch! Right, mind on the mission…he groaned and doubled over.

“Sora!” he heard Kairi and Goofy yell his name.

It hurt, but not him…Riku…he reached out to him even as he shifted course.

“Sora?” Kairi touched his hand and he forced the pain back, looking up at her.

“Riku,” he whispered. “He’s scared and in pain.”

“Then follow your heart,” she told him, leaning their foreheads together, closing her eyes and he felt her power. Nothing could keep the three of them apart, even without having shared a Paopu fruit.

Sora suddenly scrambled out of his seat, his Keyblade appearing, lighting up around him…and opening a new gate. He let go of the blade and dove back into the pilots seat, shifting their course to line up with the new route, he just knew it would lead to Riku.

“Gawrsh, these coordinates are familiar,” Goofy said after a while.

“Can’t be recent or else the gate would have been open,” Sora pointed out.

“So from before you guys sealed the door?” Kairi asked.

“Maybe,” Sora shrugged slightly, opening fire on some Heartless.

“Can I?” Kairi asked, and Sora laughed but shifted firing control to her chair.

“Let’s see if your aim’s improved since the last volleyball match,” he teased.

“Hey!” She kicked at his foot but began shooting.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Okay, so the place was no less creepy now then the last time he’d been on a mission for the Organisation, although having a travelling companion who talked almost the whole time was different. How did Sora keep from strangling the duck? They didn’t even know why they were there yet, he was used to have a mission goal at least, not just the vague notion that a gate opening meant there could be trouble.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy followed Sora out of the ship and he knew they all recognised where they were…Traverse Town. There was something very different about it though. He glanced at Sora, seeing him scenting the air with a frown. “Sora?”

“There’s…no one here. I can’t detect anyone.”

“Well, didn’t Leon and the others say that everyone was going to go home when we sealed the door?” he asked.

“Right,” Sora nodded. “But still, no native inhabitants at all? This place is…creepy.”

“Why would Riku come here?” Kairi asked.

“We ran into him here once, the first time I saw him after the Islands fell. If his memory’s messed up maybe it felt familiar. Maybe he even thought I was here.”

Well, that made sense to him. If Riku was confused then maybe he was trying to find Sora or Kairi for help.

They walked all through the First District but everything was dark and deserted so they moved on to the Second….and then the Third. Sora paused, trying to catch a scent and then he was off, leaving them running to try and catch up. He leapt up without using the stairs, heading for…the house! It was the one the group had used as a base.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora took a deep breath, he could smell blood, but it didn’t quite smell like Riku. Just how changed was he by what had happened? Maleficent hadn’t said. He eased the door open, thankful for vampire vision, as he peered into the dark. He saw the legs sticking out from the corner and moved into the room. “Riku?” he called softly, not wanting to startle him.

He walked around the bed and froze, almost summoning his Keyblade but…that was Naminé’s scent, still lingering, Maleficent’s too. It had to be Riku. He could hear the steady if slow beat of his heart and carefully knelt down beside him.

“Riku, can you hear me?” he called, slowly reaching out to touch his shoulder.

He may look like Ansem…Xehanort’s Heartless, but it was Riku. He grabbed an elixir and carefully administered it, figuring it best to heal any injuries and replenish his magic if it was low. Sure enough, Riku moaned softly, eyelids fluttering.

“Riku? Open your eyes for me, please. It’s Sora, you’re safe,” he spoke softly.

He looked over as he heard Goofy and Kairi but waved them back, not wanting to crowd him when they didn’t know his mental state. Kairi scowled but Goofy pulled her back outside.

He focused back on Riku, relieved that his heartrate was sounding more normal since the elixir. “Come on Riku, I thought I was the one who can sleep anywhere,” he teased.

Riku groaned again and ever so slowly his eyes opened. He blinked at him, and then tried to shove himself further away, eyes wide.

Sora raised his hands. “Easy Riku, it’s me, I’m not going to hurt you.”

“S…Sor….a?” he slurred, shaking his head.

“Yeah, it’s me. You’re safe now.” he slowly reached out and touched Riku’s hand, it was cooler than it should be, but his heart was beating strong, the hand too large but he ignored that to gently take hold of it. “How do you feel, Riku? Are you hurt? I gave you an elixir.”

“Am I Riku?” he asked, voice stronger thankfully.

“Yeah, you’re Riku.” He squeezed his hand. “We’ve been looking for you ever since the Organisation grabbed you. We’re going to take you somewhere safe, okay?” he kept his voice calm, worried about Riku.

“We?” he asked, eyes darting around.

Sora leant in, free hand moving to cup a too solid cheek. Their features were so different that it was jarring but he would not react to that. “Look at me Riku,” he whispered, and yellow eyes shifted back to him. It was very odd to see Riku with yellow eyes but he wouldn’t pull away because of it. it was just the Heartless’ appearance, not the truth of Riku’s heart. “That’s it, it’s okay. It’s just Kairi and Goofy out there, no one else.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora, Sora had come! It was really him…wasn’t it? he felt a hand on his, holding it, a hand on his face. Sora’s hand felt too small or his too big? Kairi? He didn’t want her to see him, why? He…he couldn’t remember. Goofy? Who…a shield, he’d…protected Sora.

“Sora…” he was so confused but he reached out for him and Sora pulled him closer, holding on tightly.

“I’m here, I’ve got you,” Sora promised. “You’re going to be okay.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi sat on the wall beside Goofy, heart in her throat, worried about Sora keeping them outside. What had the Organisation caused by pulling out Ansem’s Darkness? She could feel it, different to the Darkness in Sora, his was wild, feral, animalistic. What she could feel from Riku was…cold, structured almost. She was scared for him but not of him. Even when possessed he had tried to stop the Heartless possessing him from hurting them.

She relaxed as Sora emerged from the house, one hand reaching back, obviously holding Riku’s. And then Riku followed him slowly, a bit unsteady, and she froze, fighting down the reaction at seeing that form. Sora was holding his hand, talking softly, it had to be Riku. Sora would definitely know the difference and she could feel Riku. She slowly stood from the wall and took a step towards them.

“Riku,” she called, and he looked over at her. She didn’t flinch from the yellow eyes, holding out her hand towards him.

“Kairi,” it was his voice, and she smiled at him.

She walked over, not rushing, keeping her hand out. Riku slowly reached back with his free hand and she smiled as their hands connected. She moved closer and wrapped her other arm around him, hugging him, feeling him stiffen briefly. She saw Sora step back out of the corner or her eyes and then Riku’s other arm slowly moved around her back. She leant into him, closing her eyes, seeing him how she remembered him.

“I’ve missed you so much Riku. I’m so sorry, it’s my fault, if you hadn’t been protecting me you wouldn’t have gotten hurt, they wouldn’t have been able to take you,” she choked out.

“It’s not your fault,” he whispered, holding her gently.

She looked up at him, freeing one hand to reach up and touch his face, feeling him flinch slightly, looking away, ashamed. “No Riku, it’s okay. You have nothing to be ashamed of,” she told him. She stroked his face and he shuddered, leaning down into her touch. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

“Kairi,” he choked, his grip tightening.

She felt a cold hand on her back and glanced up to find Sora standing beside them, a hand on each of their backs. He grinned at her and she smiled back.

“We’re together and that’s all that matter,” Sora stated firmly.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy watched, heartbreaking. What had happened to Riku? He didn’t doubt it was the boy, not with how Sora and Kairi were reacting to him. He just hoped Merlin or Ienzo could do something to help him. Maybe a Replica body? Something.

_TBC…._

_I was tempted to have him missing till the end of the game timeline but after discussion decided to have them find him earlier._


	29. ch29

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 29**

Sora was worried about Riku, not because of his appearance but because of what he could sense. Being able to smell everyone’s scent change with their emotions could be annoying but it was useful at the moment, Ansem’s face wasn’t the most expressive. He could smell Riku’s confusion, despite his comforting Kairi, and wondered if he even remembered the attack that had led to his kidnapping.

Riku slumped against Kairi and Sora moved in to support him, thankful for vampire strength which made even Riku’s large form light, if a little awkward, to hold.

“Riku?” Kairi called in alarm.

“We need to get him back to Merlins’,” Sora said, an arm around Riku’s shoulders to help hold him, fingers stroking the thin shirt, hoping he could feel it. “Can you guys hold him up for a minute?” he asked, and Goofy joined them to help hold Riku up as Sora dug through his magic pockets, pulling out the familiar black coat, the three of them managing to get it on Riku who tried to help but wasn’t managing much. “Take the ship back, we’ll see you there.”

“Sora…”

“Kairi you don’t have a coat and we are not risking you to the Darkness. I’ll be fine, I’ll get him ho, back to Merlins’,” he quickly corrected. The Islands were home, calling Merlins’ home wasn’t right….even if his life there felt more real now. they were having trouble sourcing another coat for her, not like Axel could give her his, he needed it. Normally, Sora would let her wear his, but at the moment Riku needed it, who knew what more exposure at the moment would do to him.

“I’ll get her back safe!” Goofy swore, and Sora grinned at him before reaching out and opening a Corridor.

He carefully took Riku from them and stepped into it, feeling part of himself relax, the vampire part that craved darkness and quiet. Just because magic allowed him to remain in the sun, didn’t mean his instincts liked it. He felt Riku tense, trembling slightly. “Easy, it’s okay. Just a quick walk and then you can sleep in a comfy bed, okay?” he murmured, keeping his voice calm and quiet. He could hear Riku’s heart beginning to race.

Sora paused and knelt down, bringing Riku with him, even kneeling his current form towered over Sora. He cupped pale cheeks in his hands, making sure they had eye contact. “I’m right here Riku,” he promised. “I won’t let anyone hurt you or take you away again. Just focus on me, okay?” He felt a hand clutch at his jacket as Riku leant into his touch.

“What’s…wrong with me?” he asked, and Sora took the risk of pressing a chaste kiss to unfamiliar lips. He loved Riku, no matter the form he was in, but he also didn’t want to confuse or upset Riku in his current condition

“Nothing. You’ve been hurt Riku, you’ll get better,” he whispered, he believed in his heart that Riku would get better. Either way, the Organisation would pay.

Maybe that was wrong, not human, or not Light enough…but he’d found that the longer he was a vampire, the harder it was getting to remember where the line was, at least when it came to those important to him, but especially Kairi and Riku. If DiZ had pushed much further with Naminé...Sora knew the old man would have ended up regretting it after he was through with him. As much as he hated to even consider them being gone…who he would become without his friends, once they passed of old age, scared him. Would he grow to see humans as nothing more than a potential meal one day? No…he’d still have Merlin, his teacher wouldn’t let him become a monster like Her.

“Come on, we shouldn’t linger here.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yen Sid looked up, surprised by the presence the tower was only now alerting him to. Then again, if anyone could get in without alerting him, it would be his old teacher. They hadn’t seen each other in years, not since he had chosen to devote himself to his life as a Keyblade Master. Even once he had retired and moved to the Mysterious Tower they had not contacted each other. Perhaps if he had, the events of a decade ago could have gone differently but he would never know now. Still, what could have drawn Merlin away from his life to come and see him after so long?

The door opened and Merlin marched in, unchanged despite the decades, except…he had rarely seen the older Wizard so stern. “Master Merlin,” he greeted his old Master respectfully. “What brings you to see me?”

“Sora,” was the curt answer, surprising him. “The boy is my Apprentice, Yen Sid, do stop trying to kidnap him.”

“Your Apprentice?” that was a surprise, Merlin had not taken a student, let alone an apprentice since him.

“Correct. That boy has great potential and I’ll not have you messing with him. He doesn’t need your kind of…dogmatism,” Merlin warned, and Yen Sid frowned.

“He is a Keyblade Wielder, the rules are far stricter.”

Merlin harumphed. “Because you say so?” he shook his head. “You had a lot of promise once, now look at you. Not that it matters, as his Master it is my duty to see to his teaching and I am telling you to stay out of it.”

“And what of his Keyblade studies?” Yen Sid demanded. The boy would need a proper Master to learn his role in the universe.

“He’s already saved the Worlds once, I’d say he’s doing just fine in that department,” Merlin went to leave but then paused. “Oh, did you ever know a boy named Ventus?”

“Indeed, sadly his heart was lost many years ago. Master Aqua hid his body away in hopes that one day he would find his way back.”

“I see…and what happened to her?”

“There has been no sign of her since,” he admitted, confused. “Why?”

“I met young Ventus once, such an energetic boy, Sora reminds me of him in many ways. Then again, what would you expect when his heart resides in Sora’s?”

Yen Sid’s eyes widened but Merlin was gone. Ventus’ heart? Was that how the boy had gained a Keyblade? He knew Terra had passed his on to Riku, but Sora had been a mystery. If only he knew where Aqua had hidden his body… There was something…more to his old Master’s denial of his meeting Sora, but what?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Cloud straightened as a Corridor opened, hand moving to his sword before lowering as Sora emerged, sans coat. Cloud moved in as he saw the slumped, coated, figure that Sora was helping through. “Sora?”

“It’s Riku,” he answered, confusing Cloud since the kid had to have gone through one major growth spurt since his last visit.

Still he slung an arm over his shoulders, while Sora could easily take the taller bodies weight, the height difference made walking difficult. Cloud was taller than Sora, though not by a lot, and backed by Soldier strength. Between them, they got Riku to Merlin’s and onto the bed in the main room. He helped peel the black coat off to reveal an unfamiliar form.

“What happened to him?” he asked, moving to get Sora a mug of blood and one of water for the pretty out of it Riku.

“The Organisation drew what was left of Xehanort’s heartless from Riku’s heart. He beat it but…” Sora waved a hand at his friends altered body, accepting both mugs but put the one meant for him down to sit beside Riku. “Here Riku, it’s water,” he murmured, voice tender. Cloud moved away silently so as not to intrude and to see if he could find Merlin or Ienzo to help.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Here Riku, it’s water,” the soft voice called to him, something pressing to his lips.

He let them part, cool liquid entering his mouth. He drank thirstily, feeling gentle fingers stroking through his hair, calming him. He let himself be guided down, body going limp, feeling his body rest against another, smaller, arms wrapping around him but not to restrain.

“Riku? You with me?” the voice whispered against his ear, and he struggled to focus.

“Sora?” it was Sora, wasn’t it?

“Yeah, I’m here.”

He felt a hand move to gently stroke his arm, his body somehow relaxing even more. His mind felt calm for the first time, drifting, safe.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“That’s it Riku, just relax, you’re safe,” Sora whispered, feeling Riku relax completely in his arms. “You’re going to be okay,” he kept up the soothing words and touch, just wanting to keep Riku calm and focused on him. He looked up when the door opened, admitting Naminé and Dai who froze, cyan eyes wide, obviously recognising Riku’s current appearance.

“It’s okay Dai, it’s Riku,” Naminé quickly reassured him before approaching. “You found him,” she smiled in relief.

“He was scared and hurt and managed to call out. We found him in Traverse Town,” Sora explained quietly.

She nodded and slowly reached out to touch Riku’s face, Sora feeling him jerk slightly at the foreign touch.

“It’s okay, it’s Naminé, she’s a friend,” Sora soothed him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Daichi stared at the three of them, not daring to move closer. Naminé had told him but seeing his original like that… It was better he stay back, they still looked enough alike that all seeing him would do was confuse Riku further since it seemed he was still struggling with his memory. Seeing her go to his side so quickly hurt though, maybe…maybe no one would want him now that the real Riku was back.

He watched Naminé press her hands gently to Riku’s head, closing her eyes, waiting to hear just how much damage the Organisation had caused his original.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé gently pressed her hands to Riku’s head, closing her eyes. She was relieved to find less damage then when she’d last had the chance to check. She could feel him trembling slightly, Sora whispering to him, soothing him. There was no pod, not programs, nothing but her power over memory, and she was hesitant to meddle but…Riku was too vulnerable.

“I need to speak with Merlin and Ienzo before trying anything,” she decided, and Sora nodded. “However, he is better than he was when I first found him.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ienzo looked down at the body sleeping on the bed, fighting down the instinctive fear of it. This was not Xehanort in any way, it was the boy, Riku. Everyone who knew him was sure of it, still, the form he was in was rather startling. He carefully attached his equipment even as Merlin paced around, muttering to himself.

He could feel Sora’s eyes on them, watching their every move, and it was somewhat disconcerting. Since learning the truth of what had happened to the Keyblade wielder, he could now see his true form and he had to admit that having crimson eyes so firmly locked onto him was just as fear inducing as the image before him.

No…Sora was still able to wield the Keyblade, he may have a foot or more in the Dark, but he still held Light too. He would not harm him unless he did something to endanger the world…or the altered boy on the bed. It was actually a relief when Axel appeared, the redheads eyes going wide. Finding out that the Nobody had a heart had been startling, and made him wonder just how many lies they had been fed by Xemnas. It was good that Axel had left, even if he was still a Nobody, none of them deserved to be used.

Once everything was ready, Naminé perched on the chair beside the bed and went to work.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“You can come in Dai,” Sora called, smelling the other teen in the doorway. He looked over, hearing the hesitancy in Daichi’s movements. He swallowed as he realised why and then offered his hand. Dai wavered, looking from him to the body sleeping in the bed, before slowly approaching. He pulled Daichi into a hug, feeling him stiffen before cautiously hugging back. “You’re my friend Dai,” he promised. “Riku doesn’t remember you, the two of you can get to know each other now. You’re not a replacement for him or lesser than him either. If anything, you’re more like…brothers. Okay?”

Daichi pulled back to stare at him before slowly nodding. “I think…he wanted a brother.”

“Yeah, he does. He almost had one too but…” Sora grimaced, he remembered how upset Riku had been when his Mom lost the baby.

Dai frowned. “I…I don’t remember that.”

Sora winced. “Yeah, I…I think Riku did his best to block it out after it happened. He was nine then so definitely old enough to remember, unless he wanted to forget.” He reached out to run his fingers through long white hair, wishing it was silver.

Naminé was sure that Riku’s mind was fixed, but as of yet there was no way to fix his body. They were almost through to the lab entrance and once that happened, Ienzo would hopefully have more materials to work on Replica bodies, for Ventus, Naminé….and now Riku.

“I guess….it’s kind of like Naminé and Kairi meeting,” Dai said after a while, breaking the silence, and Sora grinned at him. “I’m glad you found him,” he offered before leaving.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He was…warm…comfortable… he struggled to remain asleep, not wanting to face…what? He shifted slightly, struggling to remember…Kairi…protecting her…pain. Slowly, he became aware of a hand stroking his hair, his breath hitching in reaction, who was it?

“Riku?” a familiar voice whispered. “Can you hear me?”

He was…scared, scared to open his eyes and find it was a dream but he couldn’t deny that tone. Sora sounded so worried. He gradually forced his eyes open, staring into bright blue eyes that lit up in happiness. “S…” he coughed, mouth dry. “Sora?” a hand went behind his head, helping him lift it, a cup of water pressed to his lips, and he drank gratefully. “Where?”

“Merlin’s,” Sora answered, stroking Riku’s cheek with his hand, and Riku pressed into the touch.

He remembered, Sora had kissed him, or had he dreamed that? He tried to sit up, body feeling strange, but then Sora was there, helping him lean up against the pillows.

“Take it easy, you’ve been through a lot,” Sora told him, holding his hand now, and it felt good but also…strange.

Riku looked down at their joined hands and frowned, something was wrong…yes, his hands were bigger than Sora’s, he was older, taller, but…not that big. He lifted his free hand, staring at it in confusion before his eyes went wide in horror. No! no, no, no, no.

“Riku!” he jolted at the shout, realising Sora was literally straddling him, holding his face in his hands.

His jaw snapped shut, he’d been saying that out loud…Sora had been trying to talk to him for some time?

“That’s it, just breath with me, you’re okay,” Sora whispered, taking Riku’s hand to press to his chest, letting him feel him breath, and Riku did his best to match the rhythm.

“S…Sora….” He forced out, he was shaking, terrified, but Sora was there. Sora wasn’t scared or angry, maybe he was imagining the changes?

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Sora asked, not moving from his spot practically in Riku’s lap.

Riku frowned, trying to work out what was real in his latest memories. “The Beast? A fight…you were there, in a black coat…you, uh, you….kissed me?” he asked, daring a quick look at Sora who just grinned at him, so that had been real. “Kairi? Pain.” He looked up again, picking at the blanket over him, and Sora took his hand again.

“Yeah, I found you at the Beast’s castle and the two of us went back to the Islands to see Kairi. I’d just brought her to you on the Play Island when the Organisation attacked, they wanted to take her, as bait for me. You used your body as her shield and were knocked out. Axel, he used to be one of them, showed up to help, he gave Kairi a potion for you, but another member showed up and stopped her. She broke free and Axel yanked her back but…it left you undefended. They took you instead of Kairi,” Sora explained.

Good, better him than Kairi. The Organisation? Right, the guys Yen Sid had told them about, that he’d spotted here and there on different worlds while trying to find Sora.

“They…they hurt you Riku, they tried to draw out Ansem’s Darkness that was still in your heart. You fought him, you called out to me and Kairi and we gave you everything we could. You won but…your body…”

“Is his,” Riku whispered. “I’m him.”

“No!” Sora glared at him, and then his hand was pressed to Riku’s chest. “Your heart is still yours, Riku. You aren’t him.” Sora shocked him by leaning in and pressing his lips to his, how could he kiss that body? It should disgust him!

“Sora’s right,” came a familiar, if sleepy sounding, voice, and Riku slowly turned his head to see Kairi sitting up from a cot. She stood and stretched before walking over, glaring at Sora. “You were meant to wake me up.”

“Sorry,” Sora ducked his head, and she smiled.

She looked back at him, her smile soft now, and then she reached out, and Riku fought not to pull away, scared of contaminating her. She was a Princess of Heart! He should disgust her, scare her, but there was nothing but…love in her expression. “I’m so sorry Riku...if you hadn’t been protecting me then you wouldn’t have gotten hurt. They’d never have managed to take you.”

He shook his head. “It’s not your fault.”

She gently touched his cheek, her hand felt so small against his skin. She smiled, lips trembling slightly, and then she shocked him by leaning in and pressing her lips to his. “We love you Riku,” she whispered. “No matter what you look like, you’re still Riku.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent looked towards the town, a small smile curving her lips. Good, Riku had returned. She could feel both Merlin and their shared pupil as well as…the girl Riku had done so much to try and save. Perhaps they could heal him where her magic had failed.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leon and Cloud worked together, shoving aside debris, revealing a half collapsed doorway and path beyond, leading towards the castle. They went to work clearing the path of rubble and Heartless. Hopefully it was the entrance they had been looking for and Ienzo would soon have access to the lab and equipment necessary to remove the boy, Ventus’, heart from Sora.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku hesitated in the doorway, eyes drifting from person to person, recognising them all from his previous visit, plus Donald and Goofy. He wanted to run, to hide, but he felt Sora and Kairi squeeze his hands in support, gently tugging him into the room. To his amazement, he was welcomed warmly, no one hesitating or flinching. Maybe the new clothing helped? Ansem…Xehanort’s Heartless’ clothing had been replaced by stuff he liked, just sized for his altered body, and the feeling of such light magic against his skin did make him feel a bit better. It didn’t hurt and that gave him hope that he wasn’t lost to the Darkness…so did Kairi and Sora’s touch.

Soon he was squished between them on the couch, a plate of food balanced on his knees as the group chatted around him. He slowly relaxed into the cushions, just listening as Sora and Kairi leant against him. He felt truly safe for the first time in a long time.

_TBC…_


	30. ch30

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_Chapter 30 already! Wow this is getting long_

**Chapter 30**

Kairi smiled and kissed Riku’s cheek, stroking his cheek with one hand. His skin was cooler than it should be, although nowhere near the chill of Sora’s, it was also harder, his face more angular.

“Kairi…” he looked so lost that it hurt.

“It’s okay Riku, I’ll see you in the morning.” She smiled at him, and then moved to Sora who pulled her in against his body, kissing her, softer than normal, but they didn’t want to overwhelm Riku too much by letting him see just how comfortable they were with each other’s body’s. “Night. Don’t stay up all night talking,” she warned before going into her room.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku let Sora drag him into a well-used bedroom, it wasn’t as messy as Sora’s room back home but it was still obviously Sora’s. The desk in the corner was covered in a mess of books and papers, as well as things he didn’t recognise. There was a closet against one wall, a long sleeved dark red shirt peeking out the partially closed door, a door set into the wall led to what he assumed was a bathroom, and in the centre of the room was a very large and comfortable looking bed which was actually the neatest part of the room, looking almost as if Sora never used it because the Sora he remembered never made his bed. Oddly, unlike the other rooms in the magical house, there were no windows. Why would Sora have the bedroom with no window when he was like a plant, soaking up the sunlight whenever he could?

He glanced again at the bed and then at Sora who smiled at him, going over to the chair to take off his shoes. He then went to the drawers set into the closet and dug through one. “Here you go! Looks like the house put stuff in here for you too.” He pulled out some loose pants and a top obviously made for sleeping in and tossed them at Riku who caught them. “Want the bathroom first?”

Riku stared at the clothing, sure enough it looked big enough for his altered body. Right, magically sentient house, that wasn’t creepy at all. “Sora…I…” He nearly jumped when Sora touched his arm, looking at him seriously.

“The bed is huge Riku, plenty of room even if you sprawl. I haven’t been sleeping much lately,” Sora shrugged slightly. “You can have the bed to yourself for a lot of the night if you’re more comfortable. We’ve shared a lot before Riku, nothing’s changed.”

“Hasn’t it?” he grimaced, looking down at his body…at Ansem’s body.

Sora reached up, clasping his shoulder awkwardly, standing on his tip toes to do so. “It hasn’t,” he argued. “You’re still Riku….well, okay something has changed, we’ve kissed.” Sora blushed slightly and Riku…had to admit it was kind of adorable. “It doesn’t mean that sharing a bed means anything more than it used to. I don’t think either of us is ready for that.”

Riku snorted, moving away. “As if anyone would want… I’ll uh, get changed,” he retreated into the bathroom before Sora could say anything else. He ended up taking another shower just to kill time, finding a second set of all needed toiletries already present.

He remembered Sora kissing him at the Beast’s Castle, his awkward explanation about kissing Kairi too, the way she’d hugged him on the Island, the soft kiss she’d given him when he’d woken earlier and then the one on his cheek…how could they stand to touch His body? He…he loved them both, it made sense, explained why he’d been jealous of both of them at different times, but it didn’t matter anymore. How could they have anything when he was in the body of their enemy? Of a monster? There could never be anything more than hugs or kisses like those, not what he’d had dreams of since puberty hit, as much as he’d denied and ignored those dreams when awake. They’d realise sooner or later that he wasn’t good enough, would pair off properly, and he would accept it, encourage it even.

He left the bathroom, dressed to sleep, to find Sora already lying in bed, hands beneath his head. Sora looked over and grinned at him, the covers left down on the other side of the bed for him. Riku hesitated, he shouldn’t even let himself have this much but…he just wanted human contact for a little while, even if it was selfish. So he got into the bed, laying on his side, and when Sora shifted closer, he let it happen, even cautiously wrapping an arm around him, like he used to when they were little and he had to protect Sora from everything.

Sora turned his head enough to kiss his cheek. “Good night,” he whispered, entwining his fingers with those on the hand Riku had resting on Sora’s stomach.

“Good night,” he forced passed a tight throat. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, knowing he needed to sleep but it wasn’t easy with the warmth soaking into him from Sora’s form. Eventually though, he drifted off.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora lay in Riku’s arms all night, soothing him whenever it seemed like a nightmare was starting, knowing he needed the rest. He had the sinking feeling he knew what Riku had been thinking while procrastinating in the bathroom. He didn’t care what Riku looked like, his was the far more monstrous form to look at after all, but Riku didn’t know that. He was scared to tell him, to let him see what he’d become, but…maybe it’d help Riku accept his own transformation? Not that his was permanent, Merlin was sure there was a way to either undo it, or transfer his heart to a Replica once they had some. The Replica would take on the appearance his heart saw as his after all.

Cloud and Leon were sure they had found the path around to the right entrance. If Kairi and Riku would be okay alone in the morning, he’d help clear it. The sooner Ienzo could get to work the better, not just for Riku but for Ventus too. Sora was scared that his being a vampire would affect Ventus’ heart, would he hate Sora if he was freed only to now be a vampire too? The longer it took, the more chance of permanent side effects and the worse the effects would be.

Sora eventually rolled so he was facing Riku, carefully reaching out to touch long white hair, finding the three wing things were still there, despite Riku having washed it and then lying on it all night. He was glad that Riku wasn’t stuck with the Heartless’ clothing at least, Riku could express his own likes through that at least. Maybe they could cut his hair if he wanted, give him that much of a difference? Or would it just regrow to keep Xehanort’s appearance?

He carefully moved his hand to trace over foreign features, not wanting to wake him up. He always had to be so careful when touching others, the illusion kept them from noticing anything, but if his claws cut someone, then they’d definitely notice the wound. He wasn’t ready to tell Riku, not just yet, let him have at least a few days to settle in and get used to things before dumping that on him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey sat back and sighed, pushing back the hood of his coat for the moment. He was worried, he hadn’t heard from Sora in a while. He had heard from Master Yen Sid though who had relayed word that Donald and Goofy were with him…and that Riku was now the one who was missing, kidnapped by the Organisation. So he was searching for him. He didn’t know what they would want with Riku but it couldn’t be anything good. He felt sorry for the kids, every time they were reunited, something new tore them apart. Would the three ever be reunited? Or was fate replaying itself a decade later? No! He would not let what had happened to his friends happen to them too.

He blinked as a new message from his old Master arrived, blinking, and re-reading it to be sure. Merlin was claiming he was Sora’s Master and didn’t want Yen Sid interfering at all, including just meeting him, that was a bit odd. But it was the last line that had him in shock. Ventus’ heart…was in Sora? Well, he had sheltered Kairi’s for a time, but to do so for so long? He had to have been a very young child when Ventus lost his heart, unless it hadn’t immediately found Sora. What kind of effect would that have on both of them? If only Aqua had told him where she was hiding Ven’s body either before she left or when they’d been briefly reunited in the Realm of Darkness, he could retrieve it and they could find a way to move his heart from Sora and back to his own body. That just meant that once the Organisation was dealt with that he’d be finding a way back in to save her, not that he wouldn’t be doing that even if she wasn’t needed to find Ventus. No one deserved to be trapped there forever and he was very aware of how lucky he and Riku had been to escape so quickly.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi woke up alone which was a little disorientating since when he was at Merlin’s, Sora made sure to slip back into her bed before she was due to wake, so they could have some time together. It took a second for her to remember why he wasn’t there and she got up, checking her sleepwear, it was good enough. She left her room and slipped down the hall to knock on Sora’s door which opened a second later, letting her inside.

Riku was asleep in the bed, huddled under the covers and from the look of it, Sora had been working on something at his desk. She walked into his arms, accepting a good morning kiss and happily returning it.

“How is he?” she whispered, knowing Sora could easily hear her no matter how quiet she was.

“Slept all night through, though there was what looked some nightmare on and off,” he murmured into her ear to keep from disturbing Riku. “Want to get in with him? I’ll bring you guys up some breakfast.”

“You sure?” she eyed the bed, not wanting to make Riku uncomfortable.

“I think he’s convinced himself that we won’t want him like this after a while.”

“So we’ll have to push a bit, got it.” She kissed him again, and then walked over to the bed, slipping under the covers carefully.

Good thing she’d worn sleep pants and a short sleeved shirt to bed last night and not one of the more daring outfits Yuffie had slipped her for them to enjoy. Sora definitely liked them, but they’d be way too much for Riku at the moment. She moved close to him, but not right against him, just close enough that she could gently take his hand, watching him sleep. She leant in and gently kissed him, wanting him to wake up to something comforting.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku began to stir, sleep addled mind taking time to realise he was being kissed. He didn’t want to wake up, didn’t want it to end…a soft hand was on his face, radiating warmth…Kairi….it had to be Kairi he was dreaming of, he reached for her and then froze as he realised his body…his eyes snapped open and there she was, lying in front of him.

She opened her eyes and pulled back enough to smile at him. “Good morning,” she whispered.

“You…why?”

She leant up on an elbow and reached out to brush some hair away from his face, Riku barely keeping from flinching back from her touch. “Riku,” sadness was evident in her voice now and he felt bad for that. “I love you, you idiot. I don’t care what you look like, you’re still you, still the Riku I’ve always known. We both love you and we’ll keep telling you until you get it.”

He shook his head. “You’re a Princess of Heart and I’m…I belong in the Darkness.”

“No you don’t!” She argued, and he wished he could believe her. “Yes, there’s Darkness in you, but that’s not all you are.” Before he could move she kissed him again.

“Kairi’s right,” Sora’s voice nearly made him jump and he looked to find him in the doorway with a tray of food. He walked over to the bed and somehow managed to get on the bed without dropping anything. “Breakfast is served,” he announced theatrically, making Kairi giggle.

“You’re not eating?” Riku asked in confusion when he realised Sora hadn’t taken anything for himself.

“I’ve been up for a while so I already ate,” Sora told him, simply shifting to lean against his side.

Why couldn’t they understand and keep themselves safe by keeping their distance?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi glanced at Sora, he was right, Ansem’s face wasn’t the best for expressing emotion, but she could see it in those strangely coloured eyes, their words weren’t getting through to him. She knew Sora was nervous about telling Riku what he was now but...it may be the best way to show Riku that appearance didn’t matter.

“Sora,” she whispered, and he bit his lip, surely that hurt with his fangs?

Riku looked between them, he’d heard her? Seemed that form came with better senses or something.

Sora sighed and shifted nervously. “Kairi…”

“It could help,” she pushed, and he grimaced.

“What?” Riku asked, tone wary.

“I was going to tell him in a few days,” he argued, and she rolled her eyes.

“You were procrastinating.”

“I was giving him time to settle and deal with what happened,” he responded.

“GUYS!” Riku glared at them and they settled back. “Tell me what? What’s going on?” he demanded.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora stared at the bed, his heart would be pounding if it could still beat. Okay so maybe Kairi was kind of right, he didn’t want to tell Riku, not yet. Yeah, Riku currently looked like Xehanort, but it wasn’t permanent, it didn’t change him…Sora was different, inside and out. Riku just hadn’t been around long enough to see it yet. What if Riku didn’t love him anymore after spending proper time with him?

He looked up as a large, tanned, hand covered his. Riku looked worried and that just made him feel bad. “Sora, are you alright?” he asked, and Sora swallowed.

“I…” he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “You think that because you gave into the Darkness that we can’t love you, but it’s not true. You’re not the only one touched by Darkness. I…I didn’t want this, it wasn’t my choice. What She did…” he looked away and then Kairi was there, leaning against him, kissing his cheek.

“It’s okay Sora,” she whispered.

“Sora?”

He looked up to find Riku staring at him, eyes narrowed in concern.

“You can’t…” he shook his head. “There’s no Darkness in you.”

“That’s an illusion, thanks to Merlin, to hide what happened to me.” He reached for the armband, feeling Riku’s gaze follow his hand. He forced himself to look Riku in the eye, terrified over how he would react, and then Riku took his hand, squeezing it gently. “I’d never hurt you,” he promised softly, able to smell Riku’s fear, and then pulled off the band, the illusion falling as he did.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku was scared, what could have happened to Sora? When? He held onto Sora’s hand, wanting him to be okay. It hurt that Sora felt the need to tell him he’d never hurt Riku, of course he wouldn’t. Riku had been the one to hurt Sora, all Sora had ever done was defend himself.

He froze as Sora’s image wavered and then vanished, the person in front of him looking almost like a stranger. No…his face was right, his hair…..but everything else was different. He saw something move behind him and then a wing shifted briefly into view, and…he could feel sharp nails, no, claws, resting against his own skin where they were holding hands.

“Sora?” he whispered, trying to take it all in.

Sora looked up at him again and he froze as crimson eyes locked onto him. There was…there! Flecks of blue were visible in the red, all that was left of the beautiful bright blue he remembered.

“It’s still me,” Sora pleaded.

Riku reached out with his other hand, touching a pale cheek, biting back a gasp at how cold his skin was. He could see the tips of fangs poking out under Sora’s closed lips and they kind of almost looked cute. Riku closed his eyes, he could feel it now, the Darkness inside Sora, different to what he’d felt from others; wilder, feral. Sora had always shone so brightly but now…there was still Light there, in the core of his heart. He opened his eyes, seeing the fear in Sora’s, that he’d turn him away…the same fear he held. He reached for him and Sora fell into his arms, curling into his larger form, and Riku wrapped his arms around him, being careful of the leathering wings on his back.

“Who did this to you?” he demanded, one of his hands moving up to run through soft brown hair. His own transformation was his own fault, he had let the Darkness in. From what Sora said, and all his years of knowing his best friend, Sora hadn’t been willing, someone had done this to him. He felt Sora shake his head against his chest.

“She knocked Sora out and he didn’t wake again until he was back at the house Merlin used in Traverse Town,” Kairi told him, reaching out to gently stroke a wing, Riku feeling Sora shiver at her touch.

Wait…Traverse Town? That was… “How long?” he asked in shock.

He felt Sora shift and loosened his hold, Sora sitting up, glancing up at his face before looking away. “Technically, it’s been years. Merlin had me in a time spell so that I could recover quickly enough to finish the fight. When I first woke up…” he shuddered slightly. “I don’t remember it, I was more animal than anything. I had to re-learn a lot of things…”

Riku listened as Sora haltingly explained what he’d gone through…what he’d become. A vampire, he’d thought they were nothing but myths. He wished they were, for Sora’s sake.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi smiled as she listened to them, utterly relieved that Riku hadn’t pushed Sora away, had embraced him, comforted him. Seeing him in combat or feeding would be the true test of how much he could accept but she didn’t think he’d take it badly after being allowed to think and consider things.

“Does everyone know?” Riku asked at the end.

“The local group does, Naminé too, but Daichi doesn’t,” she answered for Sora to give him a break. She thought it over. “Some people in Deep Jungle do because Sora got hurt there. The other Princess’ know something, because we can sense his Darkness. I think that’s it?”

“Pretty much…except for Hercules and any gods there that can sense it,” Sora shifted, and she remembered the last person who knew.

“Oh, right…Maleficent knows too.”

“What?” Riku looked at them in alarm.

“She knows. We ah, ran into each other, and she could sense Merlin’s magic on me. And, well… there’s some Light magic I can’t use anymore, or it’s really hard to, so…”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

He waited for Riku’s reaction, feeling him grip his hand tight enough that it’d hurt if he was still human.

“You’re learning from her?” Riku demanded.

“Yeah, not like there’s a lot of possible teachers around for that part. When you were…possessed, we came to a kind of understanding, she warned me you were possessed and thought maybe…I could free you. She cares about you, in her own Faerie way. She actually found you and Naminé in the Dark Realm and took you to the Castle, but you ran before she could talk to you or let me know you were there,” he explained. “She isn’t human Riku, no more than I am anymore, but she was never human in the first place.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he’d hear Sora defending Maleficent in any way. But Sora believed that she actually cared about him…he’d wanted that when he’d been with her, now he didn’t know. It hadn’t been her fault he’d been possessed, she’d warned him multiple times. He didn’t remember being at her Castle but he had no reason not to believe Sora. Still, he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to see her again.

Sora stating so nonchalantly that he wasn’t human anymore was jarring, but it was undeniable. Even after Sora slipped the arm band back on, the image of the human Sora was a barely visible overlay of his true form. Sora was…Sora was technically dead, and he didn’t know how to deal with that. Because of his actions, his best friend…the boy he loved…had died a horrible death. His heart no longer beat, he couldn’t eat or sleep…how did Sora not hate him?

He glanced up at him, looking for any sign of that, but there was nothing but nervousness and…longing. He thought Riku would hate him? For something he’d had no control over. He hadn’t asked to be turned. He glanced at Kairi, finding her watching them both, worried. She amazed him, he could tell form the way it had been said, the other Princesses hadn’t just sensed how Sora had changed, they had recoiled from it, had Kairi at first? Or had she trusted in Sora, instinctively known since her heart had been with him when it happened? They were both beings of Darkness….and yet she still loved them, trusted them.

Riku reached out for her hand and she didn’t hesitate, smiling at him, even as he reached for Sora with his other hand. The two joined their free hands, completing the circle. “You really…” he looked down, taking a deep breath. “What if there isn’t a way to undo this? If it’s permanent? How could I ever go home?”

“If you don’t want to, then we won’t,” Kairi answered, shocking him. She grinned at him, “besides, technically this is where I’m from.”

“Riku, the only reason I can step foot back on the Islands is because of magic, sunlight and vampires don’t usually mix. And I am never telling my Mom! Talk about destroying the World Order,” Sora grimaced. “If you don’t want to go back, then we’ll make a new home, here or any other World we all agree on. Whether this,” he nodded at Riku’s form, “is permanent or not.”

“Okay,” he agreed softly. He would try, for them he would do anything.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Dai fought not to flinch or run as Riku stepped into the room, looking at him curiously before freezing.

“What?”

Great, hadn’t they told him about Daichi? “Uh, hi,” he offered awkwardly.

“Who are you?” Riku asked warily, and Dai knew he was close to calling Soul Eater.

“Daichi,” he answered. “Guess they didn’t explain?” And Sora had told him that Riku didn’t remember Castle Oblivion. “I am…was the Replica of you that the Organisation made at Castle Oblivion. Sora and Axel found me and brought me back here. Merlin saved my life and they studied me for the Replica’s they need. It was Sora’s idea for me to pick a new name and the makeover, so I could be my own person,” he explained hurriedly. “I don’t…exactly have your memories. They were altered to include Naminé instead of Kairi and then broken to stop doing something stupid,” not that he thought he could have killed Sora.

There was something about Sora, the longer he was around him, that screamed power…like he was more than just a normal human. If it had come down to it, he knew he would have lost to the older male.

“Daichi,” Riku murmured, and he nodded.

“Or Dai,” he shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep from fidgeting.

“Okay,” Riku nodded, even having been made from him, Dai was finding Xehanort’s form hard to read, until a small smile flitted across his lips. “Nice to meet you.”

Daichi grinned and then offered his hand and Riku took it. they both started as the door slammed open, Axel and Donald storming inside, Axel freezing when he saw Riku. “It’s Riku!” Dai called, seeing the flames beginning to burn around Axel’s hands.

“Riku?” Axel looked between them and then threw his hands up. “I give up! Tell Sora Halloween Town and Santa were fixed. I’m going to go sleep for a month!” he marched off towards the living quarters.

“Okay…” Dai sighed and then looked at Riku. “That was Axel, he helped Kairi on the beach and tried to save you both. He was with the Organisation but you know Sora,” he shrugged and Riku chuckled.

“Yeah.”

“Is it really…Riku?” Donald asked from the doorway, looking between them warily.

“It sure is,” Goofy answered as he walked in, leading his friend away to explain…which may end up needing more explaining later.

_TBC…_

_This is not where I originally planned to have Sora confess, but it just didn’t feel realistic for him to not tell Riku for so long once they had him back._


	31. ch31

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 31**

Maleficent looked over as Sora appeared, looking happier than she had seen him in some time. “You found him,” she stated.

Sora nodded and moved to lean against the window opposite her, wings folded against his back. “He called out with his heart, we found him in Traverse Town. Thanks to Naminé, Merlin and Ienzo, his memory’s been fixed again. You could have warned me he looks like Xehanort again,” he frowned, and she shrugged slightly.

“Appearance means nothing.”

“Because Faerie are shapeshifter,” he shook his head. “I showed him,” he admitted.

“And?”

“He hugged me,” he grinned but then shrugged. “I‘ll see if that lasts after he sees more than just my appearance.”

“You fear Riku will turn you away for being a Dark creature when he himself is no longer fully human.”

“Well…wait…what?!”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel watched the group, still trying to make himself think of the imposing figure as Riku and not Xemnas or Ansem…or Xehanort…whatever his real name was meant to be. Watching the three of them together was kind of amusing, the way the two younger teens kept pushing Riku into not retreating, making him interact with everyone, not to mention how they took every opportunity to touch him. He wondered if the Organisation had realised that Riku was just as good for bait as Kairi or they had only taken him due to being unable to reach her with his interference. It was obvious to him that the three were smitten with each other. At least they all seemed to realise it, saving the rest of them from the headache of them all dancing around each other.

Still….there was something Sora was hiding, from him at least, and he just hoped it didn’t end up biting him, he’d risked his existence to help them after all.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku changed into his night clothes and got into the bed which soon dipped as Sora joined him, his best friend shifting closer until Riku rolled over and held his arm out. Sora grinned and pressed against him, head resting on Riku’s arm which then wrapped around him. The cold of his body was still a bit of a shock but he wouldn’t pull away because of it. Sora lifted his head, pressing his lips to Riku’s, claws slipping into his hair, and Riku shivered as they gently scratched over his scalp.

Sora and Kairi were forever touching him, never shying from his body, and…as much as he hated his appearance, he enjoyed their touches. They accepted how he looked now and wanted him to do so too. He didn’t know if he could, but he wouldn’t try and make them leave him again.

So when Sora moved to deepen the kiss, he only hesitated briefly before letting his lips part to grant him access. It was all strange and new, he hadn’t kissed anyone before the Islands fell. he felt Sora wrap his other arm around him, claws running up and down his back over his shirt as they kissed.

He pulled back, panting slightly, and Sora grinned at him, obviously pleased with himself. “Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled, and Sora laughed softly.

“Not too much?” he asked more seriously.

“It felt…good,” he admitted, using the hand not pinned under Sora to run through wild spikes, his widening as Sora began to actually purr, pressing into his touch. “Wow,” he whispered, he knew that purring was generally an instinctive reaction in animals so if Sora was the same then…he really did like his touch. “Sora…”

“Feels good,” Sora purred.

“So vampires are just big cats?” he teased.

“Mmmm, tease,” he mumbled, pressing even closer, and Riku gulped, freezing, as he received proof of just how much Sora was enjoying it. Sora blinked, pouting slightly, and then his eyes widened. “Oh, sorry,” he shifted his lower body out of contact with Riku’s. “Forgot.”

“Forgot?” he asked in confusion.

“Well…Kairi and I…”

“Have you…well…” Riku was very glad for lack of emotional range in his face at that moment.

“Had sex?” Sora asked, and Riku wondered what the illusion would show, would he be blushing? He’d stopped wearing the arm band to bed since the overlay could be weird to look at when Riku was waking up. 

Riku managed to nod in answer to the question. Had they gone that far while he was gone? If they had…how did that make him feel?

“No, we were waiting for you. I’ve held her through the night and we kiss and touch. I’ve seen her topless and she lets me touch. And yeah, she’s uh, felt that before too. Then again, I can uh, smell her reactions too. I’ve done a lot of reading to make sure it’s safe, I didn’t want to hurt either of you. Kairi’s set the pace, and so can you.”

Riku stared at Sora, they were teenager boys, mentally at least, how could Sora control himself so well? Then again, he had to be in control all the time or else he could hurt someone, even kill them, without meaning too. Sora could smell Kairi…then he could smell him too and yes, his body had reacted to what they were doing but he was so much taller than Sora now that he only would have felt it if he’d moved his leg into the right spot.

“Sora…I…” he was embarrassed but…he liked kissing Sora, a lot. So he pressed his lips to Sora’s, cautiously tugging him closer again. “You really want this…”

“I want you, doesn’t matter what the packaging is,” Sora answered. He ran both hands down Riku’s spin and he groaned, arching his back, it felt really good, and Sora grinned cheekily at him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi sat down beside Riku, glancing at the book his was reading, smiling. “Reading up?”

“I don’t want to do something that could hurt him or anything,” Riku admitted, looking up from the book on vampires like Sora.

She smiled and leant against his arm so he lifted it, letting her cuddle into his side. Riku had always been taller, bigger, than her and Sora, now he was big enough to fully shield her and she liked that.

“The magic really keeps him safe from the sun?” he asked after a while.

“Sure, remember, we were back on the Play island when you were grabbed.”

“It was overcast though then.”

“Yeah, it was,” she agreed, relieved to hear him so sure about what had happened that day. “I’ve seen him in full sun though, he doesn’t like it, even protected, but it doesn’t hurt him,” she assured him.

They fell quiet as Riku kept reading, and she smiled when cautious fingers moved to her hair, when she didn’t react, Riku began running his fingers through it. He was still hesitant about physical contact, especially with her, as if his Darkness could infect her. As if, Sora’s hadn’t so why would his? Although, Sora had been very happy that morning, so maybe he was getting better at physical closeness with Sora? She shifted enough to reach up and kiss his cheek, when he turned his head to look at her, she kissed his lips. She felt him freeze, hesitating, but then cautiously he kissed her back.

“Love you,” she whispered when they parted, curling back into his side.

“I love you,” he breathed, barely audible to her, but she still smiled.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora grabbed the falling slab of rock, bracing it, and then Cloud moved in, helping him get a better grip so that it could be moved. They tossed it off to the side and Aeleus watched the display of strength in awe. He’d found out about Sora but he hadn’t seen him much so he guessed seeing someone his size tossing things around would be surprising. Sora dropped down off the balcony and looked around.

“There’s a door!” he called back to the other two. Sora walked up to it and began pulling the rubble away, big pieces first, before forcing it open as they joined him. “Shall we?”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ienzo looked around at the destruction, sighing. “There is a lot of clean-up work to do before I can begin,” he told the group.

“Well you have plenty of help available,” Kairi told him. “Just keep Sora and Riku away from anything more complicated than a book.

“Hey!” they both glared at her, making everyone laugh.

“Just tell us what to do,” Riku told Ienzo who nodded.

As much as everyone wanted to free the heart residing within Sora’s, he would need to do thorough scans of both Sora and Riku, the longer Riku was left in Xehanort’s form, the more chance his heart would come to see it as the correct appearance, leaving him trapped forever, even if his heart was placed in a Replica. Then again, Ventus’ heart could come to copy the vampiric state of Sora’s…he really wished Even had recompleted as well. He knew far more about Replica’s than Ienzo did and it would enable them to work faster. Merlin was doing his best, but Ienzo wasn’t sure about using magic to help the process.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They listened to Axel’s full report of his trip to Halloween Town, Sora pouting a little at missing out on meeting Santa while Riku smelt stunned that Santa was real. Sora wished he could go meet him but it was too dangerous to risk when the two places were linked.

So the question was, with their increased group size, who should go where. Axel and Donald flat out refused to work alone together again, so Goofy offered instead and Kairi agreed to go as general magical support. That left Sora, Riku, and Donald as the other team since Dai and Naminé would remain to help protect Hollow Bastion but more importantly, to help Ienzo with his work. Dai looked torn but Riku took him aside to talk to and Sora made himself ignore their conversation. When they returned, Naminé took his hand and then smiled across the room at Riku who nodded.

Sora trusted Goofy and Axel to look after Kairi, he just wished the three of them could go together, but if Axel and Donald were teamed up, someone was going to die or at least end up crispy.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

A vampire lion cub was not what Riku was expecting when they arrived on the new world, but Sora made it work. Unfortunately, the magic did not work on his altered body, although thankfully he could still understand them and be understood by them. Sora used one of Merlin’s spells to make him invisible and hide him from even animal senses. It meant he spent most of the time there in silence, but he’d never been the chatterbox Sora was anyway.

Still, he was happy when they returned to the ship and Sora was restored to his true form, immediately pouncing on Riku to kiss him, ignoring Donald’s complaints about it. “You were a very cute cat,” Riku told him, and Sora laughed.

“You would have been cuter.”

“Do you think their lands can recover? The place was very desolate,” Riku said as they took their seats.

“There’s a lot of magic in the land, it can recover,” Donald answered before Sora could.

“See, it’ll be okay eventually,” Sora grinned at him as they took off. He frowned down at the controls, tapping one of the displays.

“Sora?” Riku asked.

“We’ve got a return request from Cid,” he glanced back at them with a shrug, “no new Gates have opened so we have time.”

“Let’s see what he needs,” Donald agreed, and Riku nodded.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Hey, fellas, you're just in time. Got some good news for ya, so get yourselves over the Castle,” Cid called as they walked in.

“What kind of news?” Riku asked, glancing around but there was no sign of Kairi being back yet.

Yuffie grinned, almost bouncing in place. “We found the computer Ansem…I mean Xehanort was using! Well…technically Ienzo found it. had to bust down some doors that were stuck or hidden in the study and further on.”

“Oh boy!”

“Yep. Should be able to get all kinds of info on the Heartless and the Organization that even red and the kid don’t know,” Cid smirked. “Go see for yourselves!”

“With that computer I wonder if that means. Ienzo can do the scans he needs of us?” Sora asked, and Riku shrugged.

He didn’t know much about computers, they weren’t a big thing back home. He knew more than Sora though.

They left Merlin’s and headed for the Castle, fighting their way through scattered Heartless and Nobodies. He hoped that one day there would be none left to fight, but he doubted they would ever be gone totally.

,,,,,,,,,,

“So you made it,” Leon called as they entered the study with the picture of Xehanort from after he’d gotten rid of the real Ansem.

“Leon!” Sora waved, and Leon nodded. “Isn't the King with you?” He’d been hoping to see him, to let him know Riku was okay. They hadn’t seen each other in ages and he was worried about Mickey.

Leon held a finger to his lips. “You'll see him soon enough.”

“Hey!” Donald complained.

“Here, this ought to tide you over.” He pressed part of the wall and the wall vanished. They walked down several metal hallways and then into a larger room with a big window overlooking a massive room with…machines? Containers of some kind? “Ansem's computer room.”

Ienzo looked up from the computer as they entered. “Good you’re here. Although I am sorry to say I am not having much luck with the system.”

Donald looked up to the ceiling and saw a furry blue creature. “Whoa!”

“Hmm?” it responded, losing its grasp on the ceiling. “Whoa!” It fell down onto the keyboard.

“What is that?” Ienzo ducked back in case it attacked.

“Get offa there!” Donald yelled, jumping onto the keyboard to get Stitch, who jumped on Donald and scurried away laughing. Donald turned around, accidentally pressing buttons, and an alarm sounded. Donald froze.

“As I said, the system is proving problematic,” Ienzo sighed, but then they all froze.

“Attention current user. This is a warning. Further misuse of this terminal will result in immediate defensive action.”

“That is new,” Ienzo frowned.

“Who's there?” Sora demanded, looking around, even as Riku moved to search the other side of the room, seeing another door where an enemy could enter through.

“I am the Master Control Program. I oversee this system.”

“Where are you?” Riku asked warily.

Donald pressed another button with his feet and the alarm blared again.

“Donald!” they all yelled, Ienzo eyeing the screen from around his body.

“I'm sorry...”

“Decision gate reached. You are now under arrest.”

“Arrest!?” Sora demanded, Keyblade appearing.

Donald was stuck standing on one foot, so Ienzo grabbed him off it, setting him down near Sora before moving to the side of the table, kneeling down to examine something. .

“Run!” Leon yelled, looking behind them.

Sora looked back to see something on the wall powering up.

“Sora run!” Riku yelled, lunging for him.

The system shot out beams of light and confined Sor and Donald into grids. Riku tried to get to them but couldn’t get passed the beams. Sora met his eyes, worried more for Donald than himself. He reached back to Riku even as he began to disappear, seeing the terror in Riku’s eyes before everything went black.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku stared at where Sora had been, only for that beam of light to literally take him apart. “What happened?” he demanded, glaring at Ienzo.

“Something is very wrong with the computer, the MCP should not have such power,” he answered.

“But they’re alive?” Leon asked the question Riku hadn’t been able to bring himself to.

“Yes, it appears they have been digitised and sent into the system….and I do not know how to get them out.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora woke up on the floor of a very strange room. He stared at himself and saw that he was covered in blue-lit lines. What had happened?

“Sora!”

He was relieved to hear a familiar voice and looked over to see Donald, also covered in the lines, being led over by Strafer Heartless.

“Go on, show 'em who's boss!” he called, dodging as he sensed something. He looked over to find someone standing there. “Who're you?” he demanded.

“I am Commander Sark.”

“A Heartless commander?” That was new.

“Observe.” Sark pressed a button on his data emitter and Donald was shocked with data.

“Okay, you're the boss! I get it,” Sora yelled, dismissing the Keyblade, not willing to risk Donald’s life.

Sark put the data emitter away and smirked, Sora couldn’t wait to wipe that smirk off his face.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leon watched Riku pace as Ienzo tried to get around the MCP, without ending up in the system himself. It was hard to look at the adult form and remember it was the teenager he’d met months earlier. He really hoped that Ienzo and Merlin’s work could help him, to wear the face of a another would be hard enough, but to be trapped in the form of the enemy? He didn’t think he could handle it, then again Sora and Kairi were doing a very good job of keeping him from moping or worse. Those two were very…determined.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi smiled at a disgruntled Axel who crossed his arm, looking away. She held her hand out and wriggled her fingers.

“Fine!” he threw his hands up dramatically but then took her hand, drawing her out onto the dance floor.

She giggled but they were soon swirling among the other party goers. Their job was done and there was no rule about having fun afterwards. Anya and Dimitri had been seen off safely onto the boat, heading for somewhere called ‘America’ while Kairi had passed on the tiara and message to the Dowager Empress. Rasputin had been dealt with, Axel happily burning the weird glowing bat things he summoned. She’d had to thicken the ice on the frozen river since the man had nearly sent Anya plunging into the icy water. It had been Anya who had ended him though, crushing the source of his power under her high heel after Dimitri had been injured. Kairi had healed him fully as soon as she’d been sure the Princess was safe.

Who would have imagined that Anya was actually the missing Princess Anastasia? Not a Princess of Heart, Kairi could sense that, but still a Princess. Hearing about the deaths of her family when she was a child, her own near escape which had led to amnesia, it was a bit close to home. Kairi had no idea what had happened to her family or even how she had ended up on the Destiny Islands. She was glad she had landed there though, her childhood could have been as dismal as Anya’s…or worse.

Goofy grinned and took her for the next dance, but eventually they slipped away from the party, not wanting to listen to the disappointed talk over the Grand Duchess never making an appearance. Titles were odd, why was she both a Princess and Grand Duchess, what was the point? They said their goodbyes to the Dowager Empress and Sophie before leaving the world.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“So what did you want us to do?” Sora asked as Tron worked on the console.

“Find my User. He'll give you the password to access the DTD.”

“You bet!” Donald agreed.

“So, um...” Sora rocked on his heels.

Tron stopped working and stood up. “DTD is the name my User gave to the dataspace. Copies of all the original system programs are stored there, along with anything that's sensitive or restricted.”

“Is there stuff about the Heartless, or Organization XIII?” Sora asked curiously.

“Hmm...Most likely,” Tron turned around and began to work back on the terminal. “A number of my functions were appropriated when I last took on the MCP. That's why I need the password. If I can get inside the DTD, I can access my original backup program and restore all my functions. Then, I'll be able to put this system back the way it was before the MCP got control and changed everything. The way it was supposed to be - a free system for you - the Users.”

“Wait!” Donald frowned. “Tron, isn't the MCP one of those programs, too? Do ya know who it was who made it?”

“Actually...I don't know.”

“Okay, we'll just have to find your user and ask him. What's his name?” Sora asked, it had to have been Ansem or one of his Apprentices, hopefully Ienzo would know the password or where it might be written down.

“You mean you don't know? My user is the user of this system: Ansem the Wise.”

“Ansem?” Sora groaned, great. They had no idea where the real one was, no one had been willing to say which probably meant he was dead.

“Looks like the MCP's on to us. I'll keep this terminal up and running. You better exit the system, now!” Tron turned to them.

“Sure... But Tron...Ansem is...” he could he tell him his User was probably dead?

“We'll get ya the password!” Donald butted in.

“Okay. You're good to go. Hurry!” Tron stood aside and watched, as they were teleported out of the system.

,,,,,,,,,,

Leon and Ienzo were busy typing at the computer when the power system behind them whirred on.

“Look out!” Riku called and they quickly dove out of what they assumed its range was. Light played over the area, starting at the ground and moving up…..reforming two familiar figures. “Sora!” He moved in, wrapping his arms around his…boyfriend? Sora let out an oomph but hugged him back.

“We did it!” Donald cheered.

“Where have you been?” Leon asked.

“Well, uh... There's a...world inside this computer, where these, um...programs live, and...” Sora struggled to explain something he didn’t seem to understand much.

“So in other words...Ansem's research data is off-limits unless we know the password. DO you know it?” Leon asked Ienzo.

“I may be able to work it out, of course that is assuming Xehanort did not change it after Ansem’s exile.

“That means...this is all a wild goose chase.”

“Only if we can’t find the password, it might be written down somewhere,” Sora tried to cheer him up.

“First you two get looked over to make sure you really are okay,” Riku told him sternly. Who knew what side effects being digitised could have on a body, even a vampiric one. “Don’t make me call Kairi,” he threatened when it looked like Sora would argue. He saw Ienzo turn away, hand over his mouth, even as Leon smirked, when Sora deflated and nodded. 

_TBC…_


	32. ch32

_Disclaimer: not mine_

_Finally playing KH3!!! It seems like storyline wise you only visit each world once unlike in 2, does that make it a short game? I just finished Corona, but an going back to it and toy box to finish exploring them and getting the pics of the Mickey symbol. So far not enjoying the storyline as much as previously, it feels like more cutscenes in the worlds or something? Definitely prefer the gummi ship travel in the previous ones!!_

**Chapter 32**

Riku watched Ienzo exam them both, relieved when they appeared just fine. He was wondering about why someone would make both Tron and the MCP, unless… “Ienzo, do you think maybe Ansem programmed Tron and Xehanort did the MCP after he started using Ansem’s name? That would explain how one person could make such different programs.”

“Hmm, yes, that does make more sense. Although it does not help us find the needed password,” he admitted, right as a crash sounded from the study. Sora and Donald scrambled up from where Ienzo had been examining them, the four of them heading out, Ienzo behind them since he had no weapon.

“Goofy!” Donald chided.

“Are you alright?” Sora asked, going over to move the portrait off of him, and then stared up at the wall. “Guys?” he called and they all moved to look.

“Hollow...Main...Security...Tron... Door to...Darkness,” Ienzo read, becoming excited. “This is it! But…no password,” he sighed.

“Say, fellas, did somebody mention the Door To Darkness?” A familiar

“Your Majesty!” They all cried and then Mickey saw him, eyes going wide as he leapt back, Keyblade appearing, and Riku froze.

“Xehanort!” the King called but then Sora was in front of him, arms wide to protect him.

“Mickey no!” He yelled, right they had worked together and stuff while he slept for a year.

“Sora?”

“It’s Riku,” Sora answered him quickly and Mickey stared between them, slowly lowering the blade.

“Riku?” the King asked, and he nodded, looking away, ashamed. “Oh gosh, what happened?”

Thankfully, Sora handled the quick explanation so he didn’t have to admit to how weak he’d been. If he’d been stronger then he could have banished the Darkness from his heart fully.

“I’m sorry Riku, I didn’t know it was you,” the King apologised, and Riku nodded, it was only natural for him to attack. He took off his hood as Donald rushed to hug him, Goofy picking up the both of them.

Sora snickered. “Long time no see!”

“Shh!” he hushed Sora, no looking around. “The Organization might be listening!” he warned and Riku frowned, stretching out his senses.

“I can’t sense anyone,” he offered quietly. He could sense Darkness, he could feel Sora’s and…he could even sense Maleficent in her castle.

“You mentioned the Door To Darkness?” The King asked curiously.

“Uh, yes, sir! Ya see, we're lookin' for the secret password,” Goofy nodded.

“Password? Oh, I guess you mean like a code,” he thought about it. “Well, the Door To Darkness can only be opened by the seven princesses. There's Snow White, Jasmine, and Belle...”

“Of course...” Ienzo nodded and headed back to the computer room.

“What're you trying to do?” Mickey asked, looking between them.

“With that password, we can get access to Ansem's research data,” Riku offered, shifting nervously when Mickey looked at him.

“So that means you might be able to find out where he is!”

“Maybe. I think Ienzo was more interested in the heart research to try and get Ventus’ out of me quicker,” Sora shrugged slightly.

“Hey, isn't Tron waiting for you guys?” Goofy asked.

“Don't worry, I'm not goin' anywhere. If those Heartless attack, I'll stand and fight with everybody here,” Mickey assured them.

“Yeah...we will, too,” Sora smiled at him.

“And remember, be careful!” Mickey smirked and Sora rolled his eyes, there was obviously a story there…then again trouble could find Sora anywhere so that wasn’t too surprising.

They left the King and headed for the computer room. Riku touched his arm and Sora looked up at him. “Does he know?” he asked, and Sora shook his head. It was getting complicated to remember who did and didn’t know about Sora.

“I’ve input the password,” Ienzo told them, “Tron should have access now.”

“Be careful in there,” Riku told him, and Sora nodded. He wanted to go in with him, but he was needed in case of attack. At least this time Donald was going in with them.

Sora returned to the computer and accessed the transfer system, Riku watching as the three of them vanished. .

“They’ll be fine,” Leon said and Riku nodded. He knew that, it didn’t stop him from worrying.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy walked over to the computer terminal. “Gawrsh, I wonder where that Tron fellow is?” he asked, looking forward to meeting him.

“Don't touch that!” Donald yelped and Goofy winced as it flashed.

“Huh?”

“Goofy!” Sora yelped before he and Donald vanished.

“Uhh...I didn't do it!” he looked around, worried, but then he vanished too.

They arrived at the game grid, a large area of flat land and high walls. The ground was laced with a blue-lit grid pattern.

“I didn't touch nothin'!” he denied as they glared at him.

“Welcome to the game grid,” a voice announced.

“Game grid?” Sora asked warily.

“That's right, you've been chosen to play a few games. Lose, and you will be subject to immediate de-resolution. Win? Well,” the voice chuckled, “no one wins.”

“We're not gonna play your games!” Donald yelled.

“You have no choice.”

“Well then, get on with it!” Sora snapped.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“I really owe you one. With all my functions up and running, I think I've got a chance of getting system control away from the MCP. Now I'd better get to work. It's what my User would want,” Tron explained as he worked at the terminal.

“What Ansem would want,” Sora agreed. “Listen, Tron. We didn't get the password from Ansem. We just sort of found it, back in the User world. By accident. And one more thing...Ansem, well it’s complicated but the real Ansem’s been missing a long time and someone else was using his name too, that one’s our enemy.”

“Well, actually...he's my enemy, too,” Tron admitted.

“What do you mean?”

“Ansem took ENCOM's original system and customised it for his own use. I was part of the original system, and Ansem modified me, too. So that makes him my User,” he explained and they nodded. “But Ansem is also the one who brought back the MCP. The Ansem I first knew wouldn't do that. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. If there are two people using the name, that makes more sense. One of them modified me and the other brought back the MCP.”

“Makes sense to me,” Sora agreed as Tron stood up.

“Now go, before the MCP starts acting up again! Any data you need from the DTD can be accessed directly through my User's terminal. I'll keep a dedicated access channel open for you. I changed the password, so you won't have to worry about the MCP for a while.”

“Access channel?” Sora asked in confusion. They’d been teaching him more about computers and thanks to a vampires mental abilities he understood more than he used to, but he still had a long way to go.

Tron chuckled, “I knew you'd ask.” He pressed a button on the terminal. “It's a very important link between our worlds. It's how we stay connected.”

Grid beams appeared around Sora, Donald, and Goofy.

“You...my friends...are the new password,” Tron smiled at them.

“Thanks Tron! Take care!” Sora called as he began to vanish, it was a very strange sensation.

“You too! And give my best to the Users!” he called back.

“Well, that's that!” Sora grinned.

“Look,” Leon pointed at the monitor Ienzo was standing beside.

There were small moving sprites of themselves on the screen with the words 'Thank You!' typed underneath.

“Tron...hang in there,” Sora murmured.

“So, where do we start?” Leon looked to Ienzo

“Now that we have access, the DTD,” Ienzo answered, moving to the keyboard.

“The King's checking the situation in town. He'll be back soon, so don't worry,” Leon told them, moving to lean against the wall as Ienzo worked.

“It's asking for a password,” Ienzo called out, frowning.

“That's easy. It's...” Goofy grinned.

“Sora!”

“Donald!”

“Goofy!”

As they called their names, Ienzo typed them in. “That's...to the point,” Ienzo admitted.

“Well?” Sora leant in, feeling Riku move closer.

“That did it. We're in,” Ienzo told them.

“I have to go into town. Need to see what that last shakeup did,” Leon moved towards the door.

“Hmm,” Ienzo was staring at the screen.

“What is it?” Riku asked him even as Sora moved to lean against him.

“Something has corrupted much of the data,” the scientist admitted.

“So there’s nothing we can use?”

“I will attempt to fix the issues,” Ienzo assured them even as an image appeared on the screen.

“Who’s that?” Riku asked.

“Master Ansem!” Ienzo stared at the screen.

“Ansem the Wise!” the King’s voice called from the doorway.

“So if the one we fought’s a fake, then what happened to the real Ansem?” Goofy asked.

“Well, that's just what I'm tryin' to figure out. Ansem the Wise should know all about Organization XIII's plans, and what's been happening to the worlds. I'm pretty sure he'll give us some help. Ya know, I came close to finding him once...” Mickey trailed off. “Ienzo, do you know?”

“No, I was only told that he betrayed and abandoned us, by Xehanort, well, he was Xemnas by then. I know he was very amused to hear his Heartless was using our Master’s name.”

Before anything else could be said, a huge explosion knocked Mickey off balance. Sora held his own, reaching to steady Riku, even as Ienzo grabbed the console. Donald and Goofy ended up sprawled on the ground in a heap.

“Outside!” Sora called, head tilted to the side, using his better hearing to track the sounds.

“Sounds like we gotta start by helpin' out here!” Mickey announced, turning and running from the room, but he stopped in the doorway. “Donald, Goofy, stay and protect Ienzo!” he ordered and they saluted.

Sora and Riku ran from the room as well, worried about the town.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They emerged on the bailey and stared in horror at the valley full of Heartless and Nobodies.

“We can’t let them reach the town!” Riku yelled, and they nodded, rushing down the path only to find it blocked.

“Demyx,” Sora stated, staring at the blond Nobody.

“Hey, you guys are looking lively,” the Nobody grinned. “Whoa! Hey, didn’t you kill him?” he looked between Sora and Riku in confusion.

“Didn't we catch you messing around in the Underworld? How'd a wimp like you get into Organization XIII?” Sora crossed his arms. “I bet you can't even fight,” he taunted, that fight had been very easy after all.

Demyx actually wagged a finger at him. “You shouldn't judge anyone by appearance.” As the three of them readied their weapons, Demyx turned around, looking worried. “I told them they were sending the wrong guy...” he whined.

“Remember, the Organization's made up of Nobodies,” Mickey murmured, looking up at Riku who’d had the least exposure to them..

“Right…no hearts!” he nodded.

Demyx turned back around. “Oh, we do too have hearts! Don't be mad...”

“Axel’s proof of that,” Sora agreed, briefly stunning him.

“Axel?” Demyx hesitated before calling his sitar. He spun it around, pointing at them with a smirk on his face. “Dance, water! Dance!”

The three of them moved apart and Sora started things by sending a thunder spell at the Nobody, making him yelp. Against three experienced fighters, Demyx didn’t last long at all before slumping to the ground.

“Aw... booed again,” he mumbled and then stated in devastation as his sitar vanished. He looked up at them with real fear in his eyes. “No way!” he reached out a hand for help.

“Demyx!” Axel yelled as he ran down the stairs. He slid across the wet ground and grabbed Demyx’s hand, shocking the blond. He glanced at Sora who hesitated but nodded, sending a powerful cure spell at the Nobody, who crumpled into Axel’s arms but didn’t fade away like the others had.

“Get him to Merlin’s,” Sora ordered, and Axel nodded, picking him up and retreating. Merlin could restrain him if needed. Sora didn’t think Demyx was a bad guy and maybe if given the option he’d stay out of the fighting at least.

Kairi leapt down the stairs and grinned at them, Sora yanking her in for a quick kiss, making her laugh before she moved to Riku’s side.

Mickey smiled at the three and then walked ahead. A Surveillance Robot Heartless was fighting a Dusk on the ledge above. It shot out a beam, which missed the Dusk and sent debris in all directions.

Sora glanced up and noticed a large rock heading straight for Mickey. He didn’t even hesitate. “Look out!” he yelled, pushing the King out of the way, the rock hitting him in the head, sending him flying into the side of the cliff where he crumpled.

“No...“ Mickey ran over as fast as he could, but Riku beat them all due to his much longer legs.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku dropped to his knees, fighting down the urge to panic, a blow like that couldn’t kill a vampire…it couldn’t! He carefully reached out, gathering Sora in his arms even as he dug out a potion, grateful healing magic still worked on him. “Sora? Come on wake up,” he pleaded, as Kairi dropped to the ground beside him.

“Sora…? Oh no…Sora,” Mickey whispered. He made a fist and looked toward their objective. “They'll pay for this.” He whipped off his cloak, summoned his Keyblade, and ran ahead.

“Your Majesty!” Riku called but he was gone. “Come on Sora, before the King gets himself in trouble,” he shook him, and was relieved when Sora groaned, eyes fluttering.

“’ku?” he mumbled.

“Yeah, you took a nasty hit to the head.” He ran his hand through Sora’s hair but no fresh blood appeared on his hand, thankfully. “Can you fight?”

“Riku no, he should go back to Merlin’s,” Kairi argued but Sora was already stumbling to his feet. She sighed and gave him an Elixir, glaring till he downed it.

“Where’s Mickey?” Sora asked, thankfully now sounding completely alert.

“I think he thought you were…well. He ran on ahead,” Riku told him.

“He what? Come on, we gotta find him!” Sora told them, taking off.

“Sora wait!” Kairi yelled.

Riku grabbed her hand and ran, pulling her along. Sora was a lot faster than any of them, they couldn’t let him get too far ahead.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Mickey!” Sora yelled, flipping over a heartless, slashing down with his Keyblade. He went back to back with the King inside the fissure, clearing it out.

“Sora?” Mickey stared at him with wide eyes and then Sora nearly fell as the King slammed into him.

He laughed and picked him up to hug. “I’m okay, takes more than a bump to the head to take me out,” he promised.

“Gosh Sora, you really scared me,” he admitted, and Sora hugged him tighter.

“Sorry,” he put the King down.

“I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Sora!” Riku called as he ran around the corner, Kairi on his back.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Mickey had to fight down the instinctive reaction to that voice. Though no version of Xehanort would allow a Princess of Heart to ride around on his back. He hoped that whatever had been done to Riku to give him that appearance could be undone and soon. He’d gone through so much since their home had fallen to Darkness, he didn’t deserve to look like the enemy. Although, the magical clothing helped differentiate him from them as well.

“Let’s go!” He called after giving them all a minute to catch their breath. They nodded and they headed deeper onto the Great Maw. They found tons of Heartless, just standing around. “Huh?”

“What's with them?” Sora asked warily.

Kairi pointed up the cliff. “Look!”

A man in a black cloak appeared, taking off his hood to reveal a man who look too similar to Riku’s current form for comfort. 

“Xehanort,” Riku snarled, summoning Soul Eater.

“Ah, the failure,” Xehanort smirked.

Mickey summoned his Keyblade and ran up the cliff.

“Let's go!” he heard Sora call as he ran.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Heartless quickly surrounded them, Sora's Keyblade appearing with a flash of light. “Move it!”

“We can't let Xehanort get away!” Riku called, moving to stand at his back

“Right!” Kairi agreed, standing with them, magic surging through her. She let lose an air spell and Sora sent dark fire into it, leaving them to watch it rip through the heartless in shock.

“Never use that combo in a confined space!” Riku yelled, and they nodded.

They began to fight the remainder, having to split up as Sora took to the air. He provided cover and took out the floating ones while they handed the ones on the ground. Once they had it cleared he landed on the cliffs and they ran after him, stopping to catch their breath once they caught up.

“Where's the King?” Riku asked once he had his breath back. His legs may be longer in his current form, but it was still easier to run as himself, he was a lot lighter.

“There he is!” Sora pointed to a clearing up ahead. “C'mon!”

Xehanort's Nobody stood facing Maleficent's dark castle, Mickey standing behind him.

“Your Majesty!” Kairi called.

“Xehanort!” Mickey yelled at the Nobody ahead.

“How long has it been since I abandoned that name...” it was very creepy how much he and Riku sounded alike now, although Riku usually tried to pitch his voice higher, more like his own.

“How do we help Riku?” Sora demanded.

“How should I know how to fix a failure?” he asked in a monotone, and then began to disappear.

“Stop!” Mickey ran up and jumped into the portal afterward.

“Donald and Goofy are gonna kill me,” Sora cringed.

“You have done well in defeating the Heartless,” a voice said and they spun to find a man with blue hair, from Axel’s descriptions it had to be Saïx. “Are you angry? Do you hate us? Then take that rage, and direct it at the Heartless.” Saïx snapped his fingers and several Armoured Knight Heartless appeared behind him. He looked toward the sky. “Pitiful Heartless, mindlessly collecting hearts. And yet they know not the true power of what they hold. The rage of the Keyblade releases those hearts,” he held up his hands. “They gather in Darkness, masterless and free...until they weave together to make Kingdom Hearts. And when that time comes, we can truly, finally exist.”

“What in the world do you think you're prattling on about?” A familiar voice demanded, and Maleficent was there, glaring at the Nobody. “Kingdom Hearts belongs to me! The heart of all kingdoms, the heart of all that lives. A dominion fit to be called Kingdom Hearts must be MY dominion!”

“Maleficent, no! No more Heartless!” Sora yelled as he realised what she was about to do.

“I do not take orders from you!” She raised her staff and Soldier Heartless surrounded Saïx.

“Fool...” Saïx snapped his fingers and Nobodies appeared, taking down the Heartless. The Nobodies then turned their attention to Sora.

“Oh no!” he readied himself to fight but even vampire stamina had a limit and he was nearing his.

Maleficent appeared between Sora and the Nobodies. She glowed with a green aura and spread her arms out. A wall of flame blocked her from Sora. “While I keep these creatures at bay, you devise a way to vanquish them, forever!”

“Maleficent...”

“Do not misunderstand me,” she snapped, and Sora blinked but nodded, understanding what she wasn’t saying. The Organisation were making a big mistake if they thought she could be taken out so easily. The Dusks overtook Maleficent and she was pulled down beneath their weight.

“Maleficent!” Sora yelled to keep them from realising.

“Leave! Now!”

“I don't take orders from you!” He snapped back, fighting down a grin. He felt Riku grab his arm, saw Maleficent look at Riku over his shoulder, her expression softening slightly.

“Sora! C'mon!”

The flames died down and Maleficent was gone.

“Now then. Where did we leave off?” Saïx snapped his fingers and the Nobodies disappeared, Heartless taking their place.

“Which side are you guys on anyway?” Sora growled.

“The Heartless ally with whoever's the strongest.” Saïx flicked out a hand toward Sora, and the Heartless attacked. Sora knocked them away, releasing hearts into the air, and Saïx smiled. “Yes, Sora! Extract more hearts!” Saïx vanished and the hearts were sent to Kingdom Hearts.

“No! The hearts!” They were still surrounded by Heartless. An Armoured Knight slammed its saber down at Sora, who blocked with his Keyblade. “Maybe everything we've done... Maybe it was all for nothing. What am I supposed to do if I can't use the Keyblade!?”

His answer was Soul Eater slashing through the Knight….and no heart was released.

“Not even you can take these numbers now!” Maleficent’s voice was heard and then there was a great flash of light.

,,,,,,,,

Leon and Cloud saw the light from the outskirts of town.

“Sora! Riku! Kairi!” Leon called in concern.

“Relax. Those three aren't going down that easily,” Cloud smirked and then began to walk off. “The Keyblade's chosen one... He's a lucky kid.”

The light turned into a long beam shooting into the sky.

“See you soon,” Leon whispered, looking up, and then went to return to town. He froze and swore, great, he was going to have to tell the others they were gone. No way was Cloud going to stick around long enough to do it, the coward. They better come back quick to pick the others up.

_TBC…_


	33. ch33

_Disclaimer: not mine_

**Chapter 33**

Sora rolled to his feet, Keyblade in hand, even as he swore softly.

“Sora!” Kairi chided as she scrambled up, but she was smirking at him. “Wait, is this…”

“The Realm of Darkness.” He dug his coat out and tossed it to her. “We really need to get more of those things,” he grumbled. He looked over at Riku to see him utterly tense and he moved away from Kairi, reaching out to grab his hand. “It’s okay Riku, we’re here,” he promised and Riku looked down at him, eyes wider than normal. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“Back to Merlin’s?” Kairi asked, and Sora nearly said yes before shaking his head.

“I think we could use a break after that fight.” He gripped Riku’s hand tight, squeezing it. He held his other out, opening a Corridor, before offering it to Kairi who grinned and took it, the three of them stepping through together.

They stepped out and Riku flinched slightly, but Sora kept a hold of his hand as they stepped onto the island.

“This is….Neverland,” Riku whispered, and Sora nodded.

“Hook hasn’t been seen since then,” Sora assured him, moving them towards the beach. Not that the pirate Captain would be much of a threat to the three of them together.

“Neverland, is this the world where people can learn to fly?” Kairi asked.

“Yeah,” Sora agreed and then grinned. “Not that I need it. Peter Pan…he offered me a place here,” he admitted. “No one grows up in Neverland.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi stripped out of the black coat, giving it back to Sora for the moment to run across the sand towards the crystal clear water. For now, she ignored his comment on Peter Pan, it was something that had crossed her mind before, that Sora would outlive them all and be left alone. There had to be something they could do about it but they had to beat the Organisation first.

“Come on you two!” she called. It wasn’t their beach but it was still a beach with no one else in sight. She kicked her shoes off and stepped into the waves, enjoying the warm water.

Sora was ready to join her, but Riku was hesitating at the tree line. Once he would have raced Sora to the water and it hurt so much that he was holding back. She smiled and held her hand out to him.

,,,,,,,,,

Riku stared at them on the sand, in the sunlight. He found he was scared to join them and he knew it was ridiculous. It wasn’t like the sunlight would harm him, he knew it wouldn’t, he had been outside in Hollow Bastion, on a sunny day. So why couldn’t he make himself move?

He saw Kairi standing in the surf, the sun bright behind her, making her look….radiant. She held her hand out towards him, saw Sora turn around and grin at him, and he found himself moving towards them. If Sora could stand there in the bright sun then so could he. He stepped out onto the beach, walking towards them, taking Kairi’s hand. She tugged him to lean down, and then she was kissing him.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispered.

He felt Sora move in behind him, knew he was flying because his hands were on Riku’s shoulders without being stretched upwards. Cold lips pressed to his throat and Riku closed his eyes, he still struggled to believe they truly wanted him the way he was.

“Let’s go for a swim and relax,” Sora offered.

“We don’t have any swim gear,” Riku pointed out.

“I’m game if you are,” Kairi grinned, and then to his shock, she stripped off her clothing, leaving just her underwear and Riku found himself staring at the revealed skin. Her underclothes were a lot more revealing than anything he’d ever seen her in before.

He glanced back to find Sora stripping off too, leaving hm in his boxers. Sora had never been shy, and Riku had caught him in various stages of dress back at Merlin’s, although he still preferred to change in the bathroom himself. He took off his jacket but then hesitantly reached for the hem of his shirt. He looked between them and then pulled it off. He felt sharp claws ghost over his back and then a cold hand rested against his skin before moving to the waistband of his pants, just resting there.

He looked up at Kairi to find her smiling softly, so he managed a nod, feeling Sora’s hands move to pull his trousers down. Kairi reached out and pressed a hand to his chest, making him shiver at the warmth. Her hand looked so small against his skin, her head didn’t even reach his shoulder, Sora’s barely did. He kicked his boots off as Sora pushed his clothing down, leaving him in his boxers too, and then they were dragging him off and into the water.

They splashed each other, chasing and playing as if nothing had changed. In the end, they ended up sprawled together in the sand, Riku half buried under them but he didn’t mind being used as almost a pillow, it felt…good, the contrast in their body temperatures odd but he got used to it, the sun and their bodies were warming Sora’s as they lay there.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Goofy was relieved when the three returned to Merlin’s. They had all been worried about where they may have ended up after that battle. They all looked healthy thankfully and maybe even relaxed, which was good, they’d all been way too stressed since Riku was kidnapped. Even Riku appeared more relaxed, although it was harder to tell with his changed body and face.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Sora?”

He looked up from his book and grinned, shifting over to let Riku join him, curling up against him.

“When are you next going to see…her?”

“Why?” he asked curiously.

“I think I need to…” he couldn’t say it.

“You want to come?” he asked softly, and Riku nodded. “Okay.” He leant up and kissed him. “We can go tonight if you want, get it over with. I think there’s something you need to talk about.”

“What?” Riku frowned in confusion, and Sora took his hand, squeezing it gently.

“Something it’d be better for the two of you to discuss. I didn’t really talk to her about it, it’s between you,” he explained. “You never know, she might have an idea how to help you too. Even if she can’t, if no one can…” he shifted on the couch to face Riku, moving up onto one knee, taking his face between his hands. “You know we love you, right?”

“I don’t know how…but you’re both very insistent about it,” he smiled shakily, “and…I want that, with both of you.” Riku surprised him by leaning in for a kiss but it was a happy surprise and he hoped a good sign, that Riku was accepting how his body had changed and no longer seeing it as a barrier.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maleficent paused as she felt Sora arrive…and not alone. He had come, good, they had much to speak of. She moved to their normal training room to find them both, Riku looking around, tense, holding tight to Sora’s hand. They looked strange, standing side by side, with Riku in that form. He looked at her, wary yet defiant and she was glad to see him restored to himself mentally.

“Welcome Riku,” she inclined her head. “We have much to speak of.”

She saw him stiffen, the wariness increasing.

“Perhaps Sora could continue his practice and we shall sit by and speak while he attempts to master his latest lessons.” She smirked at Sora who rolled his eyes.

“I’ll get it,” he grumbled but moved to begin.

Riku hesitated but then followed her over to sit by the window.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku’s mind was spinning as Sora teleported them right into the bedroom. He felt Sora tugging on his clothes and let him do as he pleased, drifting in and out. He found himself blinking in the low light, tucked under the covers and…naked except for his boxers. He found himself shivering and Sora wrapped himself around him as best he could, hands gently stroking his skin…Sora’s hands warm somehow, magic? He pressed closer, clinging to Sora, who kissed him softly.

“It’s okay, I’m here,” Sora whispered.

“I…I…”

“Shh, it’s okay. Just sleep Riku, we can talk later, whenever you’re ready,” Sora told him.

There was a soft knock on the door and then Riku felt another, warmer, body pressing against his back, lips pressing to his shoulder. Kairi….

“We’re here,” she whispered, and he felt himself relax, safe.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi pressed against Riku, feeling him fall asleep between them. “What happened?” she asked.

“He was talking to Maleficent this evening,” Sora answered softly. “She had some things to talk to him about.”

“What things?” She asked, seeing Sora hesitate. “Sora…”

“I have an idea, from something she said to me a while ago. Kairi…it’s not up to me to say something, it’s his choice.”

“Fine,” she huffed, wrapping herself more tightly around Riku, wishing for his normal form so that they could wrap fully around him. “Are you both naked?” she asked as she realised she was feeling a lot of skin.

“We’ve got underwear on,” Sora snickered. “He needed the contact and I used magic to give my skin some heat.”

“Just don’t set yourself on fire,” she giggled softly.

They fell silent, settling down so that she and Riku could sleep, safe in the knowledge that Sora would watch over them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Naminé smiled and leant into Dai. She was glad that Sora and Axel had found him in time, that he was safe and had friends now. He would need them when she was gone and she knew she would be. She could not exist permanently as she was. It would hurt him when she re-joined Kairi but they would help him. She felt his arm move up around her and glanced up at him, seeing the small, shy, smile on his lips.

“Want to take a walk?” he asked, and she nodded.

They got up and left the hand, walking about town hand in hand, even if it made his cheeks a little red.

“Good afternoon,” a familiar voice called and she looked up to see Zex…Ienzo. She hadn’t met him in Castle Oblivion but she knew he’d been there, had been involved in Daichi’s…creation. She felt Dai’s grip on her hand tighten, tugging her back towards himself. Had he met Zexion there? She knew that he would have known Ienzo was around but seeing him would be different.

“Ienzo,” she offered a small smile.

“Naminé and Daichi,” he smiled at them. “Our research is going well and we hope to have two functional Replica’s available soon. One for young Ventus, and one for you Naminé.”

“What?” she asked in surprise.

“Kairi was most insistent. You were made from her and Sora under incredible circumstance that unfortunately means your body is unlikely to be stable enough to exist for a normal lifespan,” he explained.

She didn’t know what to say, she knew how hard they had been working on the program, for Ventus. He had to be freed as quickly as possible to keep his heart from following Sora’s into identifying as a vampire. So the idea they were making a second for her…

She felt Dai squeeze her hand in support. “Thank you.”

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Axel went to the door as someone knocked. He opened it to find Lexaeus…no Aeleus there. “What is it?”

“It’s Even, we found him on the lab floor this morning. Ienzo says he isn’t stable and is hoping Merlin can come.”

“I’ll get him.” Axel moved to where he’d last seen the Wizard. Even being recompleted was good, the Replica project would be able to move faster.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku sat on the windowsill, staring out at the rain, leaning against the cool window. He still didn’t know what to think about Maleficent’s admission. He…he was changing, becoming something other than human. He should have known there’d be side effects to what he had done but at the time he hadn’t cared at all, just like he hadn’t cared when he’d let Ansem in. He’d been so stupid.

A hand rested on his shoulder but he didn’t need to look to know who it was, the touch too warm for Sora, besides he was up at the Castle for more scans.

“Please Riku, talk to me,” she pleaded.

He looked at her, seeing the worry in her expression. “I…I’ve made so many mistakes Kairi.”

“Oh Riku,” she whispered, pressing her hand to his cheek. “You need to forgive yourself.”

He shook his head. “Everything has consequences,” he whispered.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi kept her hand on his cheek. Consequences? “Something from when you were with Maleficent?” she asked softly. It made sense since it had been something she had told him that had left him so upset. He gave a jerky nod, not making eye contact. “Whatever it is, we can deal with it.”

He finally looked at her, looking lost. “She said…I’m becoming like her, that I’m…I’m going to be a Faerie. I...”

She gripped his shaking hands in hers. “It’s okay Riku, whatever happens, we’ll be with you the whole time. Human or not, it doesn’t matter. Not like Sora’s human anymore and it doesn’t matter to me. You don’t care either, do you?”

He’d had the least time to come to terms with what Sora had become…was he struggling with it and hiding it to keep from upsetting him?

“No!” Riku denied, shaking his head. “He’s still Sora, he could fall into an ocean of Darkness and swim his way out,” his lips twitched in a small smile, and she laughed.

“Yeah, he probably could, or fly these days.”

She sat down beside him and leant against him, showing him she didn’t care at all what he was, she cared who he was. She felt him slowly wrap his arm around her, smiling as she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Demyx blinked up at…leaves? Then again he hadn’t expected to wake up at all. There’d…been a fight, Sora and his lot. Someone else….Axel? Had he imagined him?

“Finally awake?”

Apparently he hadn’t, turning his head to see the redhead lounging nearby, looking utterly relaxed but Demyx knew better. He wasn’t the Superior’s favoured Assassin for a reason after all. Where were they? It didn’t look like Hollow Bastion. And….why save him? He was the enemy. Then again, they had accepted Axel as one of them it seemed, he’d been seen with various members of the group fighting on other Worlds. So what did they want with him?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sora flopped down in the pilot’s seat and Riku reached over to ruffle his hair. “Hey!” he swatted at his hand. They were distracting Riku from what was happening to him by travelling. They’d already seen Mulan, Sora happy to introduce Riku and Kairi to his friends there, and had helped defeat a Heartless dragon. That had been fun, the three of them fighting together.

He thought they might stop in on the Beast, see how he and Belle were getting on. Hopefully Xaldin hadn’t been back to bother them, Donald and Goofy had explained what he’d been up to then.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

It had been hard enough meeting Belle again in his own body but to return in Ansem’s? he felt sick just thinking about it, but Sora and Kairi were right by his side. Of course one of the Organisation had to turn up, ruining Beast and Belle’s party.

“Where's Belle!?” Sora called once the Nobodies were gone.

“Over here!” She called from the balcony, walking back in as quickly as possible in her incredible gown.

“Whew, she's okay,” Sora relaxed even as Kairi ran over to greet her fellow Princess.

“Guess Xaldin didn't take anything after all,” Riku sighed in relief.

The Beast seemed to realise something and raced out of the Ballroom.

“What's wrong?” Sora asked, even as Belle quickly ran after him. “Belle? What's with them?”

“Maybe Belle isn't the only thing precious to the Beast,” Riku suggested, worried now.

“C'mon!” Kairi ran passed them and they took off after her for the West Wing.

They found the Beast pacing around the room. He roared and slammed the floor.

“What's wrong?” Belle was asking as she walked closer. “Please, calm down!”

The Beast swung to face her and she held up her hands. “Calm down!?” he roared. “You just had to have a party, didn't you? Don't you see what's happened?”

“Hey. What's with you?” Sora demanded, voice dropping to a near growl.

“The rose... My rose...” Beast snarled.

“What, that? He took it?” Riku asked in confusion, looking over to see the table was empty.

“But surely, you can find another rose...” Belle began.

“Silence! You don't know anything!” He swiped at her, and Sora lunged between them, baring his fangs to any who could see beyond the illusion.

“That's not fair, Beast. Don't take it out on Belle. It's not like she stole it!”

The Beast held a hand to his forehead.

“I'm sorry,” Belle whispered.

“You don't have to apologize,” Kairi consoled her, drawing her a bit further away.

“But...”

The Beast looked away. “Belle... Sora... I want you to leave the castle.”

Belle obviously didn’t know what to say, staring at him in dismay.

“Look at me. Look. This is what I am. When you first got here, I tried to change.” He looked at his hands. “But I was only fooling myself. I can't be any different. I'll always be a beast. So, I should live like a beast. With no one, alone. Goodbye, Belle.”

“You can't mean that...” She denied but he remained silent. She reached out a hand to him.

“I think his mind's made up,” Kairi glared at the Beast.

“Yeah,” Sora huffed, as Belle turned away. “Look, Belle. Leave this to us. If we can get the Beast's rose back, he'll calm down,” Sora promised her, and Belle smiled sadly at him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Kairi laughed and cheered as Belle stole the rose right out of Xaldin’s arms and ran over, smiling at them.

“Go Belle,” Sora cheered even as they readied for the fight.

Xaldin controlled the winds themselves but Sora was no slouch in that area either. She figured being able to fly helped there, he had to be able to read the wind to stay aloft. She stayed back, throwing water and fire spells, not wanting to risk sending wind at a wind master. It was a hard fight but in the end, they beat him.

“Is this the end?” Xaldin staggered back, his six staves firmly embedded in the ground. They disappeared in shafts of white light as Xaldin screamed in agony, fading away.

“Everyone alright?” Riku asked.

Kairi nodded even as Sora gulped down a blood pack. They made their way back to the castle where the staff was gathering.

Belle handed the rose to the Beast. “Here. It's yours again.”

The Beast took it. “Belle...”

“I know. You want me to leave the castle,” she looked down at the ground.

“What matters is... You weren't hurt by Xaldin... You're safe. And... I'm very grateful to you...for bringing the rose back to me. Thank you.”

Kairi smiled at hearing him say that.

Belle smiled too. “It's the least I could do. You've been good to me. And you didn't have to be.”

The Beast placed the rose on the ground. “Listen, Belle...”

“Yes?”

The Beast was having a hard time forming words, and he glanced at the group.

“Say it!” Sora encouraged, and Riku nodded.

“Go on!” Lumiere cheered.

“C'mon!” Kairi grinned.

“You can do it!” Mrs Potts agreed.

“We have confidence,” Cogsworth told his Master.

The Beast looked back at Belle. “Belle, I'd like you to stay... With me... Please?”

Belle smiled and held her hand out. The Beast understood and placed a hand on her waist and around her hand. “I will.”

The Beast smiled and they went back inside towards the ballroom.

“Maestro---music!” Lumiere called as the lights lowered.

They started to dance as the music plays, the Beast twirling her.

“Hey, did you see the look on Belle's face when she grabbed that rose?” Sora grinned, taking Kairi’s hand.

“Yep,” she smirked.

“She is rather unique, isn't she?” Riku asked, standing behind them.

“Dance with me?” She asked him and Riku froze.

“Go on,” Sora grinned at them.

Kairi held her hand out to him and smiled when Riku took it, moving onto the dance floor even as Sora began chatting with the others. When the next dance began she pulled Sora out to dance with him, and then made them dance together too.

_TBC…_


End file.
